In Courchevel, the ultra-luxury Alpine ski resort beloved by UHNWIs, on March 9, Louis Vuitton exhibited its most recent high watchmaking timepiece to an audience of media representatives and wealthy customers from all over the world.

The watch’s mechanism imitates a succession of mask changes on the timepiece’s face by drawing inspiration from bian lian, or “face-changing,” a style of Sichuan opera in which singers quickly replace colorful masks to signify different emotions.

The bian lian mask on the watch face moves to convey a variety of emotions over the course of a 16-second sequence, concluding with the right eye withdrawing to reveal a flower.

In 2002, Louis Vuitton unveiled its first line of upscale timepieces. The French leather goods manufacturer, although having only been in the industry for two decades, is shaking up the world of high-end timepieces with some daring creations. The award-winning Tambour Carpe Diem model, introduced in 2021, featured a skull twisted by a snake, suggesting vanitas, a style of still life artworks with symbols designed to remind viewers of life’s fragility. This Chinese opera-inspired watch represents a new direction for the brand.