Hold onto your horoscopes, haute horlogerie fans. Vacheron Constantin’s latest collection of metiers d’art watches doesn’t just take inspiration from the stars, it puts whole constellations on them.
The Métiers d’Art Tribute to The Celestial series takes its inspiration from a single-piece edition from 2021. This is the Minute Repeater Tourbillon Sky Chart Leo Constellation Jewellery, created by Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers atelier (‘workshop’ seems far too perfunctory) on which ‘figurative guilloche’ was used for the first time.
This technique, created by Vacheron Constantin’s master guillocheur, was used to create figures rather than repeated abstract patterns – demanding a virtuoso command of the traditional ‘rose engine’ lathe, let alone flawless hand feel in applying ‘just’ the right pressure to the cutting bit. Now it has now been used to depict the 12 signs of the Zodiac with the constellations overlayed on them in diamonds. And if that wasn’t enough, it also has a tourbillon and fully baguette-cut sapphire-set bezel and lugs.
Pared back this is not. And complex is the process…
First the dial base, a thin disc of 18K gold, is marked with the outlines of the constellations and zodiac signs. Then, a sunburst finish is applied to the entire dial and the softly luminous opaline details added to the four ‘human’ signs – Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Aquarius.
The next step is the hand-guillochage of the zodiac sign. Each image comprises a multitude of hand-guilloché triangles formed of densely packed straight lines, with each triangle set at different angle from its neighbours. One sign takes one craftsperson 16 hours to create.
Only once this is done can the aperture for the tourbillon be cut out and the blue color applied. To map the constellation onto the Zodiac sign, the dial is machined to reveal the gold base in a tracery of fine lines. After the final details have been completed – transfer-stamping the minutes and seconds track, the Maison’s name, the application of the white gold indices and the Maltese cross emblem – the intersections of those lines are set with diamonds, creating a beautiful celestial celebration.
Flip the watch over and the view is just as impressive. What you can see, thankfully without a telescope (though a loupe could be handy), is Vacheron Constantin’s self-winding tourbillon Caliber 2160. 188 parts and just 5.65mm thick, it operates at 2.5Hz and has an 80-hour power reserve and a 22K gold peripheral oscillating weight, which means you have an unadulterated view of the incredible finishing. Perlage on the mainplate, bridges decorated with Côtes de Genève, circular-grained wheels, and chamfered and polished screws.
Unsurprisingly each watch bears the Poinçon de Genève. This literal seal of approval was created in 1886, and it is awarded to mechanical watch movements (uncased) manufactured in the Canton of Geneva and guarantees provenance, precision of timekeeping and the finest finishing of both functional and decorative movement components.
“Vacheron Constantin created its in-house métiers d’art workshop not only to help preserve this knowledge but also to support the artisans in innovating, exploring and developing new techniques,” explains Sandrine Donguy, product and innovation director at the Maison. “The figurative guilloché technique used on these dials is an excellent illustration of how this approach encourages the continuing evolution of traditional crafts.
“For the gem-setting, our master gem-setter has employed different techniques for different elements, each chosen to enhance the brilliance of the stones according to their cut and their position on the piece: channel setting on the bezel creates the impression of an uninterrupted circle of sapphires, while the brilliant-cut diamonds that represent the stars on the dial were grain-set from the reverse side.”
Each timepiece in this stunning collection is a 39mm white-gold cased testament not only to Vacheron Constantin’s commitment to ensure traditional watchmaking crafts aren’t forgotten but also that they can be evolved as well. And it means you don’t have to mess around with your night sky app if you want to locate your star sign. It’s all there. On your wrist.