Vacheron Constantin article Status Magazine 2014

VACHERON CONSTANTIN
Long Live
THE KING
BY VICTORIA GOMELSKY
Vacheron Constantin marries artistry and high
watchmaking in its latest timepieces, which exemplify
the very best in complications and craftsmanship.
A
s mechanical watch complications go, the tourbillon occupies a class all
its own. Unlike traditional complications — which are defined as devices
that perform a function other than straight timekeeping — the tourbillon
(French for “whirlwind”) does not mark the passage of time.
Rather, the revolving mechanism was designed during the era of pocket watches, which
would often sit for hours in the same vertical position. The spinning cage of the tourbillon
helped counteract the effects of gravity on the watch, thereby improving its accuracy.
Today, watchmakers are finding innovative ways to adapt this vintage technology to wristwatches, earning high praise from connoisseurs who revere the newest tourbillons as marvels of
contemporary horology. Complex and fascinating, these next-gen tourbillons are also exceedingly
intricate — explaining why the feature has earned the nickname “the king of complications.”
GONE WITH THE WHIRLWIND
Vacheron Constantin ups the ante with its Traditionnelle 14-day Tourbillon, which boasts a
remarkable 14-day power reserve. Sheathed in a 42mm rose gold case, the model — also available in a sleek platinum version and a new daring openworked model — is a powerhouse of
endurance. The longevity is made possible by the inclusion of four barrels mounted in
coupled pairs. Yet the watch’s most obvious characteristic is its elegantly understated
styling: a slender bezel; rose gold dauphine hands; and a simple, opaline silver-toned
dial with a power reserve indicator up top and the tourbillon down below.
Like nearly all Vacheron Constantin timepieces, the Traditionnelle 14-day
Tourbillon bears the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva, a third-party certification that guarantees the origin, quality, craftsmanship and reliability of
Facing page: The 14-day
timepieces crafted within the borders of Canton Geneva. Although
tourbillon at the heart
the Poinçon de Genève was instated in 1886, the certification
of Vacheron Constantin’s
process was overhauled in 2012. Now, the mark guarannew Traditionnelle
tees the quality of the watch as a whole rather
timepiece is modern-day
than solely applying to the movement.
timekeeping at its most
elegant. The rounding of
the tourbillon bar alone
requires 11 hours of hand
craftsmanship.
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VACHERON CONSTANTIN
INTELLIGENT USE OF SPACE
Another example of high watchmaking, the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Openworked, takes a familiar complication — the perpetual calendar — and pulls back the
curtain, as it were, on the marvelous complexity required to accomplish this feat of
timekeeping. The openworked dial, which borrows its aesthetic from the lines and
shapes of the Eiffel Tower, reflects a Vacheron Constantin tradition that dates back
to 1755, when founder Jean-Marc Vacheron created a watch featuring an openworked and engraved balance cock.
Over the ensuing years, the maison continued to emphasize transparency in
the creation of its timepieces. In 1924, Vacheron Constantin produced its first
entirely openworked caliber for a pocket watch. Since then, the house has
earned a reputation for its skill in openwork, which requires a great degree
of engraving expertise and a keen understanding of proportions.
Prior to beginning the design of an openworked model, Vacheron’s
watchmakers and engineers devote hundreds of hours to conceptualizing
the caliber to determine how much material can be hollowed out without
compromising the integrity of the timekeeping mechanism. Next come the
artisans. Lauded for their dexterity, they
work each movement by hand to create polished and matte surfaces on the metal plates.
Some have curves and interior angles narrower
than 45 degrees, which means only the nimblest of human hands can manipulate them.
Once the chamfering and hand-drawing
are complete, it’s time to engrave the caliber.
The meticulous process, which takes a full
week, involves the use of a burin to gently
incise and sculpt the motifs. The precision
required to finish an entire caliber, which
can include motifs that need to be engraved down to the nearest tenth of a
millimeter, is beyond the capability of all
but the most skilled artisans — all of
which is evident with one look at the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Openworked.
Legibility was a primary
concern when designing the
Traditionnelle Perpetual
Calendar Openworked.
GREAT WIDE OPEN
A slate-gray ring frames the
dial of the Malte Tourbillon
Openworked, a supreme example
of the master engraver’s art.
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The same rigorous process applies to the Malte Tourbillon Openworked, a tonneaushaped watch that traces its name to an early Jean-Marc Vacheron creation that contained a part shaped like a Maltese cross. The part went on to become a signature feature of the maison’s movements, and explains why the Maltese cross is a key element of
the company’s logo. Today, all of the tonneau (French for “barrel”) watches in the Vacheron
Constantin collection fall under the Malte designation.
Boasting a tourbillon caged inside an openworked movement, this exceptional model is
the product of more than 500 hours of work, from conceptualization to modeling to design.
To complement the geometric shape of the watch, Vacheron’s artisans came up with an architectural motif based on the shape of the triangle. Found throughout the caliber, the tiny
triangles’ straight lines lend the piece a distinct sense of volume. A combination of light and
shadow underscores the airiness of the timepiece, which comes encased in platinum and,
like all of Vacheron’s complicated watches, bears the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva.
TRAVEL IN STYLE
The pinnacle of the firm’s openworked
novelties this year is the Métiers
d’Art Mécaniques Ajourées collection. The watches in this series take
their inspiration from the grand railways of 19th century Europe and the
golden age of travel that they epitomize. Together, they represent the apogee of Vacheron Constantin’s watchmaking skills: a perfect blend of the
engraver’s art, the horologist’s science
and the enameler’s craft.
The Mécaniques Ajourées’
three-dimensional, light-filled architecture is the result of weeks of painstaking work, many spent using a tiny
handsaw known as a bocfil to shave
down the surface of the mainplate and
bridges. The artistry, however, doesn’t
end there. The circular ring that surrounds the movement features grand
feu enameling in three distinct versions: blue, gray or black. The latter is
among the most challenging shades to
achieve using the age-old and extremely delicate process of grand feu.
There is also a high-jewelry version
that glistens with 54 baguette-cut
diamonds on the bezel and clasp.
Inspired by the glass-domed ceilings of historic European railway stations, the
Métiers d’Art Mécaniques Ajourées comes in a 40mm, white gold case.
LEADING LADY
The Patrimony Small Model is equipped with a mechanical self-winding caliber
developed and built in-house.
Vacheron Constantin’s ongoing dedication to its female collectors is exemplified in the Patrimony Small Model,
a graceful 36mm case fitted with a
bracelet that shows off the brand’s
exquisite finishing to great effect.
Diamonds on the bezel set off the
silver-toned dial, where diamond and
gold markers provide an elegant backdrop for the slender curved hands. But
for those wanting an extra dose of
sparkle, consider a second version,
which comes paved with nearly 800
diamonds.
Naturally, both models are certified with the Hallmark of Geneva —
for at Vacheron Constantin, style never
comes at the expense of substance. ¨
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