Monterey II “LV2”

Prominently featured on the runway in Louis Vuitton’s Fall-Winter 2025 show — styled over shirt sleeves as well as worn around the neck as a pendant watch — the Louis Vuitton Monterey II has never been more culturally relevant than it is today.

A product of collaboration between two storied maisons, the Louis Vuitton Monterey II was designed by esteemed Italian architect Gae Aulenti in the 1980s, produced by IWC in Schaffhausen, and retailed by Louis Vuitton. At a time when luxury houses were exploring new expressions of design through timepieces, Louis Vuitton partnered with IWC to bring technical refinement and Swiss horological savoir-faire to its vision of modern elegance.

The Monterey II stands out for its dramatic monobloc ceramic case — innovative at the time as one of the first watches with a ceramic case — echoing the era’s growing fascination with advanced materials and integrated forms. With a crisp white dial, lug-less shape, and distinctively futuristic silhouette, the Monterey II is unlike anything else in watches. This is unsurprising, as it was designed by an architect for a “fashion” brand. One of the first watches produced under the Louis Vuitton name, the Monterey II has seen a surge in popularity over the past few years, culminating in its runway appearance. Rumor has it that Louis Vuitton may rerelease this model, as a solid yellow gold modern interpretation was recently shown to VIP clients at Paris Fashion Week 2025.

While new and innovative, the Monterey II’s dial is reminiscent of the centuries-old traditional watchmaking technique of enameling. With rich depth, the lacquered dial features simple black printing for the time-telling portions and an eye-popping outer red date track. Louis Vuitton Paris branding is subtly integrated into the design at six o’clock. A second time zone is displayed via the extra hour hand in gold-tone.