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Introducing the Vacheron Constantin La Musique du Temps Collection of Pièces Uniques
News
Introducing the Vacheron Constantin La Musique du Temps Collection of Pièces Uniques
The department’s main task is to walk alongside collectors, helping them to realize their dream Vacheron Constantin timepiece, as a start to end, bespoke service. But the Les Cabinotiers also take time to create unique pieces that showcase the breadth and depth of the maison’s capabilities.
Side note: Read about the Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600 and Reference 57260 pocket watch, here and here.
Explaining the collection, Heritage & Style Director, Mr Christian Selmoni says, “By striking watches, we mean, minute repeaters; simple repeaters and Grande Sonnerie. As part of La Musique du Temps, these are all piece unique creations that showcase our mastery of the minute repeaters and Grande Sonnerie, paired with several of our métiers d’art capabilities.”
With the collection, Vacheron Constantin has also revived their partnership with the famed Abbey Road Studios. “We first worked with Abbey Road Studios back in 2018 for the launch of our Fiftysix collection,” says Selmoni. “This time round, we are working with them in order to make recordings of the chiming watches from the La Musique du Temps collection at the mythical, Studio Number Two. Meaning that every watch from the collection, has been exquisitely recorded by some of the world’s best sound engineers. These recordings will accompany the respective chiming watches along with a joint document of certification from Abbey Road Studios and Vacheron Constantin.”
Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Sky Chart (ref. 9730C/000R-B493)
Within the 45mm 18K 5N pink gold case, we see an 18K gold hand-guilloché sunray-finished blue dial, that’s ever so slightly offset towards the top, creating space room for the minute tourbillon. Turning the watch over we have a sidereal time indication, along with the months and sky chart. The sky chart itself is a sub dial on the back of the watch, which has been made concave creating for a sense of depth on an otherwise two-dimensional indication.
Movement
Hand wound calibre 2755 TMRCC; hours, minutes and small seconds on top of tourbillon cage; minute repeater; tourbillon; sidereal time, months and sky chart on the back of the watch; 58-hour power reserve
Case
45mm in 18K 5N pink gold
Dial
18K gold hand-guilloché sunray-finished blue dial with 18K white gold applied hours-makers
Strap
Blue alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell and 18K white gold polished half Maltese cross-shaped folding clasp
Pièce unique
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Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Ultra-thin (Ref. 6630C/000R-B662 & 6605C/000R-B661)
At 41mm and 39mm, both pieces feature 18K gold, eggshell white Grand Feu enamel dials with 12 applied ruby hours-markers, totaling 0.42 carats. “This combination of rose gold, of white eggshell enamel for the dial and the red of the rubies is for me absolutely gorgeous,” says Selmoni.
As mentioned earlier, being minute repeaters and as part of the La Musique du Temps, in partnership with Abbey Road Studios, both watches will come with recording of their chimes made in Studio Number Two, with a joint document of certification from Abbey Road Studios and Vacheron Constantin.
Movement
Hand wound calibre 4400; hours and minutes; 65-hour power reserve
Case
39mm in 18K 5N pink gold
Dial
18K gold dial with cloisonné enamel representing a Caravel; 4 Roman numerals and 8 dots in 18k gold
Strap
Alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell with 18K 4N pink gold polished half Maltese cross-shaped buckle
Pièce unique
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La Caravelle 1950 (ref. 1110C/000R-B612)
“Here we have a specialty of Geneva watchmaking from the ‘50s: cloisonné enameling. The La Caravelle 1950 pays tribute to this art form,” says Selmoni. It was later explained by the Vacheron Constantin team that the grande dame of enameling, Anita Porchet herself was involved in creating the La Caravelle 1950.
There’s a small star that sits right next to the 10 o’clock marker on the dial, which is mean to depict Polaris, the North Star that sailors once depended on to navigate the oceans. The Vacheron Constantin team later shared that the star is, in fact, an object called a paillon (spangle), which Anita Porchet herself lent to the dial from her personal collection of vintage paillons. Artisans in the past produced these delicate objects, formed in various shapes. However, neither the artform nor the artisans with the knowhow, can be found today.
Last, but not least, is of course, the 39mm 18K 4N pink gold case of the watch, with the ever desirable cornes de vache lugs.
Movement
Hand wound caliber 1731; hours and minutes; minute repeater (hours, quarters and minutes on request); 65-hour power reserve
Case
18K 5N pink gold; 41mm and 39mm, the latter with 102 round-cut diamonds for a total weight of 1.90 carats on the bezel, lugs and crown
Dial
18K gold dials with eggshell white Grand Feu enamel; 12 applied hours-markers in rubies totaling 0.42 carats
Strap
Alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell with 18K 5N pink gold polished half Maltese cross-shaped buckle
Pièces uniques
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Les Cabinotiers Retrograde Armillary Tourbillon in Titanium
The movement of the watch is one that was unveiled back in 2016, the Calibre 1990, featuring a dual-axis tourbillon, which served as a prototype in the creation of the 57260. And later, of course, was formed into a unique execution, stand-alone wristwatch showcasing the dual-axis tourbillon and dual-retrograde time display.
For the 2019 Les Cabinotiers Retrograde Armillary Tourbillon in titanium, the case of the watch has been treated with a dark PVD application, to protect against wear, and also to match the NAC treatment of the movement in the dark anthracite color, with a clous de Paris finishing.
Again, a pièce unique and non-chiming watch in this round up.