Results for Vacheron Constantin

Historical Landmarks in Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers “Memorable Places”

In the Les Cabinotiers collection for 2023, titled “Récits de Voyages”, Vacheron Constantin draws inspiration from its historical international expansion for Les Cabinotiers “Memorable Places” – a quartet of unique timepieces, each featuring a micro-sculpted gold dials inspired by significant architectural landmarks in cities across Asia as well as Vacheron Constantin’s home of Geneva. Initial thoughts As a collection, Les Cabinotiers embodies the quintessence of haute horlogerie, placing a distinct focus on crafting highly decorated timepieces for those who exclusively pursue the highest standards in watchmaking and artisanal craftsmanship. Though these unique creations are not entirely novel – Blancpain debuted a series of similar watches several years ago – it is truly delightful to witness the brand consistently surpass conventional expectations and create wearable works of art for the wrist. Among the four timepieces, a standout is the model featuring the entrance gate to Angkor Thom in Cambodia. The brand’s engravers have meticulously replicated every detail, capturing the foliage and serene visages of the past rulers of the Khmer Empire atop the temple. This intricate work is accomplished through hand engraving in various shades of gold.  The choices of landmarks – namely two in China, one in Cambodia – no doubt reflect the brand’s client base. While it could be seen as a little incongruous to feature Geneva among these Asian wonders, it st...

Intricately Nuanced Green in the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Grisaille Dragon

Christened “Récits de Voyages”, the Les Cabinotiers line-up for 2023 is all about captivating narratives told through unique timepieces, each recounting the historical expansion of the brand across diverse geographies. One of them evokes the mid-19th century when Vacheron Constantin forged its first commercial ties in China, reflecting the profound significance of the country for watchmaking in that era. The Les Cabinotiers Grisaille High Jewellery “Dragon” pays homage to that historical relationship. This extraordinary timepiece features a grisaille enamel dial in green – the technique almost always relies on greys and blacks instead – that showcases the mythical five-clawed dragon, once the symbol of the Chinese emperor. The artisanal enamel dial is contained within a case fully set baguette-cut diamonds, alongside one of the thinnest self-winding movements ever, the cal. 1120. Initial thoughts The dial of the Les Cabinotiers Dragon showcases the grisaille technique that offers a distinct, high contrast and a clear focus on the mythical subject. Departing from the conventional grisaille approach of a monochromatic palette of greys, Vacheron Constantin opted for a unique twist by employing shaded green enamel to depict the majestic dragon. The colour manages to give the dragon more life than compared to a traditional black-and-grey grisaille dial, while still retaining the discreet elegance that is characteristic of the technique. The result is remarkable and...

Hands-On: Vacheron Constantin Takes Us On An Epic Voyage With Nine Unique Les Cabinotiers Creations

For the first time, Vacheron Constantin previewed its new "Récit de Voyages" with the press before its clients, giving us a sneak preview of the watches before they were gone.

Fascinating and Landmark Complications at Christie’s Hong Kong

After seeing the fascinating timepieces made by independent watchmakers and the artistic highlights, let us now direct your attention to the notable complications in the Christie’s sales that take place on November 26.  In this compilation, we scrutinise nine noteworthy lots. Some items, like the Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar ref. 5516 and the Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon, stand out with their six-figure price tags, while others might escape attention but are still deserving of a mention. Examples include the contemporary Omega De Ville Central Tourbillon or a distinctive version of Montblanc’s 1858 Split-Seconds crafted for the Only Watch charity auction. Important Watches (lots 2201-2343) begin at 1 pm on November 26 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre – the catalogue is available here. It will be followed by the second session (lots 2501-2639) offering watches from the OAK Collection at 6:30 pm – see the full catalogue here. Lot 2223: Vacheron Constantin Patrimony ref. 30020 in platinum  The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar pays homage to the revered vintage reference 4261, capturing the essence of one of Vacheron Constantin’s most sought-after timepieces among collectors. Manufactured in 200 examples across two configurations, one with a traditional dial, as seen here, and the other skeletonised, the watch stands out as a coveted item in the current collectors’ market. Notably, only 77 examples, inc...

An Eye on Complicated Watches at Phillips Hong Kong

Our favourite segments in Phillips’ Hong Kong sale on November 24 and 25 are artisanal and form watches, independents of course, and now complications. We round up a selection of nine notable complicated watches, including two special-order Patek Philippe masterpieces, a ref. 3974P with Breguet numerals and a ref. 5004P Michael Ovitz special. The list also includes vintage complications, like the well-preserved Rolex ref. 6062 yellow gold “Stelline”. And also some big value buys in a literal sense: the 48 mm Panerai PAM00350 “Lo Scienzato” skeleton tourbillon and the 44 mm Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle grand complication, both estimated at a fraction of their retail price. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVII takes place on November 24 and 25, 2023. Registration for bidding and the complete catalogue can be accessed here. Lot 839: Panerai Radiomir Tourbillon GMT Ceramica “Lo Scienziato” PAM00350 Panerai paid tribute to astronomer Galileo Galilei in 2010 with the PAM00350 “Lo Scienziato”, one of the most complicated watches made by the brand.  It was a Radiomir Tourbillon GMT Ceramic powered by the in-house cal. P.2005/S – a skeletonised movement executed in a distinctly modern style with the base plate and brides open worked in a grid and finished entirely in matte black. The aesthetics of the P.2005/S movement make the PAM00350 arguably one of the few Panerai models that successfully blended a thoroughly contemporary aesthetic with the historical Pa...

The Wonderfully Artistic in Christie’s Hong Kong

Having explored the best of independent watchmaking, we now pivot to the artisanal masterpieces at Christie’s Hong Kong sale on November 26, ranging from a 1950s cloisonné Omega by Nelly Richard to a Patek Philippe Dome Clock. Amongst the more esoteric is the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art “Les Masques”, the quartet of timepieces each featuring a miniature sculpture replicating tribal masks in Geneva’s Barbier-Mueller Museum.  The auction on November 26 is made up of two parts, starting with Important Watches (lots 2201-2343) at 1 pm  – the catalogue is available here. It will be followed by the OAK Collection (lots 2501-2639) at 6:30 pm – see the full catalogue here. Lots 2224-2227: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art “Les Masques” set One of Vacheron Constantin’s most distinctive Metiers d’Art creations, “Les Masques” is a literal description of the watches – each contains a miniature sculpture that deftly reproduces tribal masks from around the world that are part of the primitive art collection in the renowned Barbier-Mueller Museum. Each of the three years from 2007 to 2009 saw the launch of a “Les Masques” set made up of four watches, with each watch representing one of the four continents of Asia, Oceania, Africa, and the Americas. This present set is from 2009 and depicts masks from Gabon, Mexico, Indonesia, and China.  The masks were micro-sculptures of 18k gold that were intricately engraved and coloured by hand, and then...

The Arts and Forms of Watchmaking at Phillips’ Hong Kong

After exploring the independents in Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction, our attention now turns to watches that focus on unusual aesthetics, namely timepieces defined by complex decoration or unusually shaped cases. Amongst the artisanal selection, here is one of Muriel Sechaud’s avian creations for Vacheron Constantin, alongside other enamelled works from the workshop of Anita Porchet. Muriel Sechaud’s rendition of Audubon’s birds And amongst the form watches is the Patek Philippe ref. 5013R-013, a tonneau-shaped grand complication in pink gold with a black dial, of which only three are known.  The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVII takes place on November 24 and 25, 2023. Registration for bidding and the complete catalogue can be accessed here. Lot 859: Vacheron Constantin “Birds of America” ref. 43060 by Muriel Sechaud Renowned enamelist Muriel Sechaud collaborated with Vacheron Constantin to create a collection inspired by the illustrations of Jean-Jacques Audubon, a French-American artist, naturalist, and ornithologist. Audubon’s work, ‘Birds of America,’ served as the primary inspiration for this collaboration. The Swiss watchmaker, known for its commitment to craftsmanship and artistic expression, commissioned a series of cloisonné enamel dials to reproduce Audubon’s intricate bird illustrations faithfully. This artistic union reflects the fusion of horological expertise with the beauty found in natural history illustration. The current reference...

Breguet Navigates Tradition and Ambition with the Marine Tourbillon 5577

In the realm of haute horlogerie, few names hold the same level of esteem and reverence as Breguet. The newly unveiled Breguet Marine Tourbillon 5577 is no doubt intended as a tribute to the brand’s visionary founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, by drawing inspiration from his deep ties to maritime navigation, astronomy, and the spirit of innovation.  Initial thoughts By introducing a tourbillon for the first time in the Marine collection, Breguet aims to leverage the prestige of the complication to enhance its sport watch offering. Like many other Breguet complications, the Marine tourbillon possesses a high level of quality, particularly in the sophisticated and impressively constructed movement that’s just 3 mm high, making its one of the thinnest tourbillon calibres on the market. The thinness gives the watch elegant proportions, despite the relatively wide case that’s 42.5 mm, as it stands well under 10 mm high. Besides its height, the cal. 581 is notable for having a decoration unique to this watch. The Geneva stripes are modified to feature engraved channels separating the stripes, creating the impression of a sailboat’s decking. However, the devoted Breguet purist might see the addition of a tourbillon to the Marine as a departure from tradition, likely driven by the ambition to compete with comparable sports watches like the Vacheron Constantin Overseas and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.  Abraham-Louis Breguet never incorporated a tourbillon into a marine chronom...

The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date is vying for the stealth-wealth crown

A salmon dial, platinum case, and bi-retrograde complication of the Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date is Vacheron Constantin's subtle take on the recent phenomenon.The post The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date is vying for the stealth-wealth crown appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Visiting the F.P. Journe Manufacture

I recently had the opportunity to see how the philosophy of “in-house” plays out in real life with a behind-the-scenes tour of the F.P. Journe manufacture in Geneva, and its newly opened case and dial factory in Meyrin, Les Cadraniers de Genève (CDG) and Les Boîtiers de Genève (BDG). The tour was impressive in its thoroughness and transparency. Montres Journe, the entity that makes F.P. Journe watches, comprises three entities at two sites in the Geneva metro area. The first is the F.P. Journe manufacture in downtown Geneva – incidentally not far from the Patek Philippe Museum – where all F.P. Journe movements are designed and manufactured, and where all watches are finished, assembled, and tested. The reception room at the Geneva manufacture. When F.P. Journe launched in 1999, this room was the entire production space for the brand, which subsequently acquired the rest of the building. The original production space is now a reception area and home to a portion of the Jean-Claude Sabrier library, acquired in 2015. The other two entities are Les Cadraniers de Genève (CDG) and Les Boîtiers de Genève (BDG) – which translate literally as “The Dial Makers of Geneva” and “The Case Makers of Geneva”. The two recently moved into a new building where CDG makes dials for F.P. Journe as well as third-party clients like Vacheron Constantin, Laurent Ferrier, and numerous other elite brands, while in contrast BDG makes cases and bracelets exclusively for F.P. Jou...

Grail Watches: The Holy Trinity (Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin) - And What is a ‘Grail Watch’ Anyway? - Reprise

“The Holy Trinity,” as any watch nerd knows, refers to the triumvirate of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin. Colin Smith takes a look at what we mean – or think we mean - when we describe PP, AP, and VC as the “Holy Trinity” of watchmaking and when we describe a timepiece as our “grail watch.”

Vacheron Constantin Partners the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Described as an “artistic and cultural alliance”, Vacheron Constantin has just inked a partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York. One of the world’s foremost museums, the Met becomes Vacheron Constantin’s second key museum partner after the Louvre. Although the details of their upcoming projects are limited, both institutions have disclosed a shared intention to launch an artist-in-residence programme as well as educational initiatives, and of course debut unique Vacheron Constantin timepieces inspired by artworks in the Met’s collection. Vacheron Constantin chief executive Louis Ferla with Director of the Met, Max Hollein. Image – Vacheron Constantin VC’s immersion in the arts The new partnership represents the brand’s most recent effort to align the realms of fine watchmaking and the arts. While collaborations of this kind are not novel, it seems likely that Vacheron Constantin (VC) will leverage this partnership and use the Met’s artworks as inspiration for exquisite and artisanal timepieces, something it did already with the Louvre in 2019.  As a result of their partnership, VC and the Parisian museum teamed up for a charity auction conducted by Christie’s, where the winning bidder had the privilege of selecting a masterpiece from the Louvre’s collection to be recreated on a grisaille enamel dial of a custom-made Les Cabinotiers timepiece. While the winning bidder could chose from any of the Louvre’s works except for Leonardo ...

Review: The New Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle with Green Dial

The Traditionnelle collection is Vacheron Constantin’s take on Geneva haute horlogerie traditions stemming from the 18th century. Yet time and time again, the manufacturer has shown that it isn’t afraid of adding contemporary touches to its Traditionnelle timepieces. Recent additions such as the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface have seen the collection embrace the use ofRead More

Highlights: Artisanal Timepieces at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Fall Auction

After delving into the notable complications in Sotheby’s upcoming Hong Kong auction on October 7, we shift our focus to the timepieces exhibiting a distinct artisanal touch, spanning the encyclopaedia of decorative techniques from cloisonné enamelling to wood marquetry. Several are exquisite examples of enamel crafted by the renowned artisans Anita Porchet and her eponymous workshop, along with a pocket watch with a miniature enamel made by Hélène May-Mercier for Patek Philippe. Another highlight is the commemorative Vacheron Constantin Mercator created to mark the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997 that was the work of a Belgium husband-and-wife enamel workshop. Important Watches I takes place on October 7, 2023. Registration for bidding and the catalogue can be accessed here.  Lot 2209: Vacheron Constantin Mercator “Hong Kong Handover 1997”  The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People’s Republic of China was a significant historical event that brought an end to 156 years of colonial rule in the territory and marked the conclusion of the British Empire. To mark the handover, Vacheron Constantin created a special iteration of the Mercator. One of the brand’s best known models at the time, the Mercator set itself apart with a unique double retrograde display for the hours and minutes, with the top-of-the-line models having cloisonné enamel dials. While the initial Mercator editions portrayed entire continents or regi...

Business News: Vacheron Constantin Announces Partnership With The Metropolitan Museum Of Art

The maison and the storied museum are launching an artistic and cultural alliance, and yes, there will be watches.

Pre-Owned Picks: A Tahitian Dial Rolex Daytona, A Hard-To-Find Omega CK 859, And The Always Stunning Vacheron Constantin Overseas Blue Dial

Plus, a PanoMaticLunar from Glashütte Original and the oddball charm of the Tudor Iconaut.

Vacheron Constantin partners with the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art on artistic and cultural alliance

Exhibition: Vacheron Constantin Retrograde Displays in Singapore

After having developed its recent offerings centred on the retrograde display, Vacheron Constantin is presently hosting High Watchmaking Retrograde Displays: A Vacheron Constantin Signature in Singapore from now till September 30, 2023. The exhibition chronicles the development of the retrograde complication from its origins in the 19th and early 20th centuries.  On display are rare examples of pocket watches and wristwatches from the brand’s collection. These range from the 1930 “Bras en l’Air”, literally “Arms in the Air” (pictured above) featuring a dual retrograde display, to the more contemporary Métiers d’art Savoirs Enluminés Caper in 2015. This latter piece offers a modern interpretation of the complication, with designs from a page from a 12th century medieval manuscript. Also on show are the brand’s latest timepiece offerings that focus on this specific complication, which were initially introduced at Watches & Wonders in March of this year, like the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date. High Watchmaking Retrograde Displays: A Vacheron Constantin Signature is taking place from September 1-30, 2023 at the Vacheron Constantin boutique located at ION Orchard. It is open to the public daily from 10:00 am-8:30 pm.  ION Orchard Singapore 2 Orchard Turn, #02-07 Singapore 238801 To register, visit Vacheron-constantin.com. Correction September 23, 2023: The Don Pancho minute repeater is not on shown at the exhibition, however, it is highlighted by...

Hands-On: Putting The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Moon Phase Retrograde Date Through Its Paces In Iceland

Over land and ice to understand the Overseas.

Our favourite pieces from Vacheron Constantin’s must-see Less’Ential exhibition

We highlight some must-see watches from Vacheron Constantin's Australia-bound exhibition of rare and historically significant references.The post Our favourite pieces from Vacheron Constantin’s must-see Less’Ential exhibition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

New: Highlights from Vacheron Constantin releases for W&W; Shanghai

Kicking off the Watches & Wonders 2023 Shanghai with Vacheron Constantin. VC released a slew of novelties for the show. Here are our picks and highlights.

Introducing: A New 35mm Vacheron Constantin Overseas In Pink Gold With Diamonds - And A Bit More

The brand has also found a new partner who knows ice – and I'm not just talking diamonds.

New releases from Zenith, Vacheron Constantin, Mr Jones and more

With Geneva Watch Days inching ever closer, more and more watches are being presented. As always, we chose only ten, with some amazing releases being left out. Considering the fair looming ever closer, we’re maybe just a touch worried, as the European summer holidays come to an end and GWD reach their peak. Either way, … ContinuedThe post New releases from Zenith, Vacheron Constantin, Mr Jones and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Vacheron Constantin design a unique clock for the world’s most expensive car

Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers bespoke department has collaborated with Rolls-Royce on a luxurious dashboard clock piece unique upon a client’s request Styled after a dashboard-mounted gauge, it features a bi-axial tourbillon and double retrograde display The car it was designed for, the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail, is the world’s most expensive new car When it comes … ContinuedThe post Vacheron Constantin design a unique clock for the world’s most expensive car appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Vacheron Constantin Designed an Exclusive Armillary Tourbillon for the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail

Vacheron Constantin Mount a Unique Watch in a Custom Rolls-Royce

Today, Vacheron Constantin has announced a specially commissioned piece by the Les Cabinotiers workshop, the Armillary Tourbillon conceived for the coach-built Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail. Designed in collaboration with a client of both the watch brand and carmaker, the double-axis tourbillon pocket watch is mounted on the wood-panelled dash of the one-of-a-kind coupe that reputedly cost about €25 million. The Amethyst Droptail. Image – Rolls-Royce. Initial thoughts While the watch itself is interesting considering the movement (though it existed in wristwatch form already), perhaps the most noteworthy part of this watch is the collaboration between two establishment brands. Obviously, such a coming-together would never have been possible if it wasn’t for the owner who is known to be the biggest client of Rolls-Royce. In fact, it is also believed that the very same client just completed a very similar project with Rolls-Royce and Audemars Piguet, which created a removable Royal Oak Concept Chronograph mounted in the dash the La Rose Noire Droptail (and word has it that there are two more Droptails on the way for the same owner). The Audemars Piguet unique piece that was created for the owner’s other coach-built Droptail. Image- Rolls-Royce. La Rose Noire Droptail. Image – Rolls-Royce It is great to see commissions such as this being carried out by companies like Vacheron Constantin, which given its success and size could easily pass on such requests. The brand...

Review: The New Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date in Platinum

Vacheron Constantin introduces a new variation of the Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date, this time in platinum and with a salmon dial.

Unboxing the Pièces Unique Vacheron Constantin Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955 | Revo Talks

Hands-On: Vacheron Constantin's Pièce Unique Homage To Peter Paul Rubens

Back in 2020 Vacheron and the Louvre offered a chance for a watch based on any piece of art. This is the amazing result.

Unboxing the Vacheron Constantin 222 - In Conversation with Christian Selmoni

Join Wei and Christian Selmoni, Style and Heritage Director of Vacheron Constantin, as they unveil Wei’s personal 222. In this engaging conversation, we’ll explore the fascinating history and design philosophy behind the Vacheron Constantin 222, which has earned its reputation as one of the most coveted sports watches in the watch world today and can […]