New Louis Vuitton watch celebrates the Year of the Snake – and showcases its watchmaking prowess

When you think of the best watches on the market, all manner of brands could come to mind. This industry has been going for hundreds of years, meaning some manufacturers have generations of talent to fall back on.

Still, fashion brands are unlikely to sit in that arena. Fashion watches have something of a bad reputation in the watch world, with many tarring anything with a fashion house brand on the dial with the same brush.

Still, not all fashion watches are made the same. Enter Louis Vuitton – perhaps best known for its handbags, the brand has been on a mission to transform its watches for a while now.

That's perhaps best seen in its latest release – the Louis Vuitton Escale Cabinet of Wonders Snake's Jungle. That forms part of a trilogy of hugely limited models, with this one also designed to celebrate the looming Chinese Year of the Snake.

The model features a stunning dial, crafted from wood, straw and parchment. That's topped off by a snake and leaves in white gold, which is also hand-engraved and enameled in shades of blue and green. At the top of the dial, you'll find a Gaston-Louis Vuitton monogram in gold and nephrite jade.

All of that sits within a 40mm case. That's crafted from white gold, and features an engraving of a Japanese waves motif. The bezel is also hand-engraved with a leaf motif, while the crown also matches with a nephrite jade cap, and the iconic LV logo.

It's hard to imagine that the reverse of this watch could be as beautiful as the front – particularly with a dial this beautiful. Still, you'd better believe it, because this is one of the best looking movements I've ever seen.

A wave motif used on every surface of the calibre actually serves to hide some of the intricate details. There's a micro-rotor in there, too, which is rose gold coloured to contrast against the rest of the movement.

Limited to just twenty pieces and with no price tag, it's unlikely that any of these will rock up at your next watch collectors meet up. Still, it's a very cool thing – a work of art and a statement of intent from the brand.