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The LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue is a striking three-hand watch with a skeletonized dial. In general, this expressive timepiece interprets the Swiss brand’s royal design in a completely different way than, for example, the Palais Royale. Let me show you what makes this watch so special…
Two dissimilar sisters?
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Like the LOUIS XVI Palais Royale Baby Blue, the La Lumière (reference 3823 Baby Blue) is a wristwatch from the Swiss brand LOUIS XVI – in a fresh, light blue color. However, LOUIS XVI’s interpretation of the watch differs fundamentally from its approach to the LOUIS XVI Palais Royale Baby Blue. It is therefore worth reading both watch reviews and comparing them.
It is difficult to say which of the two models stands out more. While the case of the Palais Royale is covered in ornaments, La Lumière captivates with a skeletonized dial and appears significantly more technical, cool, and functional. The crystalline case is contrasted by a modern rubber strap, which gives the watch an almost futuristic and by no means old-fashioned look.
The LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue on the wrist
LOUIS XVI does not skimp on the scope of delivery. When you purchase any watch from the brand, you receive a high-quality watch box, certificate of authenticity, warranty card, and, if necessary, a strap shortening tool. When I unpack it for the first time, I am amazed: the LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue is stunning. With a diameter of 45 millimeters, this watch is not for petite wrists. At 13 millimeters high, the case appears almost flat. However, I was really surprised by the weight. At just 125 grams, La Lumière is barely noticeable on the wrist – unlike the Palais Royale, which is 50 grams heavier. The lower weight is due, on the one hand, to the use of a rubber strap. On the other hand, the case is not made of conventional stainless steel, but of K9 glass.
The case of the LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue
K9 glass is crown glass, which is known for its good light transmission and clarity. It is mainly used in lenses for cameras, microscopes, and telescopes, but its hardness and scratch resistance also make it suitable for watch cases. Even on closer inspection, the workmanship of the watch glass used for La Lumière is more than impressive. The material also feels very high quality.
This glass look is complemented by sapphire crystal. The watch glass, which is coated on both sides, is not only particularly scratch-resistant and therefore durable, but also improves the readability of the time. This is necessary, as readability is not necessarily the timepiece’s strong point. However, this is a small price to pay for the crystalline, transparent look.
A passion for mechanical movements
King Louis XVI, the brand’s namesake, is known to have been a great lover of mechanical movements. The LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue lives up to his enthusiasm. Inside the watch is a Japanese Miyota 82S0 automatic movement. Due to its reliability and ease of maintenance, this movement is ideal for use in a watch suitable for everyday wear. The caliber is particularly popular with brands that want to incorporate a skeletonized dial into their watch design. The eye-catching feature of the LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue is its clearly visible balance wheel.
With a power reserve of approximately 42 hours (when fully wound), the movement’s accuracy is between -20 and +40 seconds per day, according to Miyota. Of course, the movement does not achieve the accuracy of a quartz movement. In return, LOUIS XVI gives us a beautiful open-heart design at a price that is more than fair, not least thanks to the Miyota caliber. However, I don’t want to give away any more of the conclusion. The movement drives the hour, minute, and second hands.
How the rubber strap makes La Lumière an outdoor watch
The crystalline La Lumière does not exactly look like a watch for use in sports or outdoors, but rather fragile. But appearances can be deceiving. As already mentioned, sapphire crystal and K9 glass are robust and scratch-resistant. However, it is above all the rubber strap that makes the LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue a watch suitable for outdoor use. The rubber strap is high-quality, fits comfortably on the wrist, and is ideal for more athletic activities. At the same time, the robust, sporty look creates a pleasant contrast to the high-gloss glass look of the case. The width of the case is 27 millimeters.
You can wear the LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue without hesitation for sports activities. However, I strongly advise against using it in water. The K9 glass case is water-resistant up to 5 bar/50 meters. So it’s better to take the watch off before swimming laps in the pool.
My conclusion on the LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue
Comparing La Lumière and Palais Royale is pretty much impossible. The two watch models couldn’t be more different, even though they both have an expressive design and incorporate the color baby blue. However, the LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue is more airy, technical, and straightforward, less playful. The transparent bezel draws the eye to the highlight of the timepiece, the skeletonized dial. The open balance wheel symbolizes the enthusiasm of the king, the brand’s namesake, for mechanics and movements.
Whether mechanical movements such as the Miyota 82S0 are “better” than quartz movements such as the Ronda calibers in the Palais Royale references is something everyone must decide for themselves and based on their own needs. To be honest, mechanics still evoke more emotion in me. Especially when they are presented as spectacularly as in La Lumière! Personally, I like La Lumière a little better.
The LOUIS XVI La Lumière Baby Blue costs €695, which puts it firmly in the premium segment. Given its high quality, it is fully justified in doing so. Equally attractive is the 5-year manufacturer’s warranty, which is well above the minimum period of 2 years.
Important to note: like all watches from LOUIS XVI, La Lumière is only produced in limited quantities. The manufacturer is releasing only 5,000 pieces worldwide per color variant. So you shouldn’t wait too long.
All important links to the watch and the brand can be found below.
More about LOUIS XVI and La Lumière Baby Blue
Click here to view the watch in the shop (Ref. 3823)
More watch reviews featuring LOUIS XVI models on my blog
Skeleton watches on my watch blog
