Vacheron Constantin, never one for half measures when it comes to creating blockbuster grand complications, has launched a new collection of highly complex watches in its Les Cabinotiers collection.
The series, dubbed “La Quête” (The Quest), celebrates the brand’s 270th anniversary and refers to the quest for excellence. This is in turn linked to astrology and myths that helped ancient civilizations to decipher their environment. The watches recount myths and legends ranging from the Pleiades to the 12 Labours of Hercules as well as the epics of conquerors such as Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan. The six watches revolve around the themes of astronomy and the odysseys of ancient times. (Two themes include a series of four watches, and another two include pairs, for a total of 13.) All prices on request.
Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication
This is a set of two watches, each with a movement that tracks 23 astronomical complications, including civil, solar and astral time; celestial chart; perpetual calendar; moon phase; sunrise/sunset; signs of the zodiac; seasons; solstices; equinoxes; and tide gauge. It is also a tourbillon and is powered by six mainspring barrels for a three-week power reserve. The cases are intricately hand engraved – one in 18k white gold depicting the movement of the planets according to 2nd century astronomer Ptolomy, and the other in 18k pink gold, depicting the movement of the planets according to the theory of Copernicus that the planets revolve around the sun. With a thickness of only 8.7 mm, the watch is also a notable feat of miniaturization.
Les Cabinotiers The Labours of Heracles
This set of four watches depict four of the 12 legendary tasks performed by the Greco-Roman demi-god Heracles (or Hercules), in his quest for redemption. The scenes are rendered using grand feu enamel, miniature painting and hand-engraved micro-sculpture. Heracles has come to represent courage, endurance and super-human strength, as well as ingenuity, creative thinking and resourcefulness. He thus symbolizes the eternal struggles and triumphs of mankind. The watch also tells time, using a wandering hours numeral as a hand to indicate the minutes on a fixed scale on the right-hand side of the dial.
Les Cabinotiers Epic Warriors Minute Repeater
This set of four watches dramatizes the achievements and legacies of four epic warriors from different eras and cultures: Alexander the Great, Antar (Antarah ibn Shaddad), Genghis Khan and Sasaki Moritsuna. The dials combine hand-engraving and grand feu miniature enameling, with the hero of each piece painted against a background representing the landscape in which he performed his deeds. The cases – two in 18k white gold and two in 18k red gold – are hand-engraved with motifs representing the cultures and achievements of each warrior. The watch is a minute repeater.
Les Cabinotiers Cosmica Duo Grand Complication
This double sided watch has 24 complications, mainly astronomical. It is reversible, with two dials showing functions that include: off-centered hours and minutes, day/night indicator, second time zone, 24-city indicator, day/night indicator for the second time zone, perpetual calendar, sky chart of the Northern Hemisphere with local horizon zone indication, sidereal hours and minutes, minute repeater, running equation of time, sunrise and sunset times, day and night duration, retrograde precision moon phase and age, power reserve indicator. It is also a tourbillon and a minute repeater, and contains a new movement, the caliber 2756-B1, with over 1,000 components.
Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication High Jewellery Moon Dust
This one-of-a-kind piece is a tourbillon with minute repeater and 16 astronomical and calendar complications. Metiers include engraving, gemsetting, and guilloche. Vacheron describes it as “a poetic interpretation of a journey from earth to the moon, celebrating the link between watchmaking artistry and celestial exploration”. Functions include hours, minutes, small seconds, perpetual calendar, equation of time, sunrise and sunset time, minute repeater, celestial chart for the Northern hemisphere, moon phase, moon age, sidereal hours and minutes, seasons and zodiac signs. The case is hand-engraved 18k white gold, and set with 184 baguette cut diamonds (approx. 8.68 cts) and 165 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.92 ct).
Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon Myth of the Pleiades
This unique piece pays homage to the Greek myth of the Pleiades represented by intricate hand-engraving on the case sides. It depicts the Seven Sisters of Greek mythology, which were transformed into stars in the constellation of Taurus and served as a vital navigation point for sailors in ancient times. The engraving took 450 hours, and even includes the space between the horns. The escapement is a bi-axial tourbillon with a spherical balance spring. The retrograde time display is indicated on a semi-circular track marked with Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes. The hands return instantly to zero at midday and midnight.
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This story was originally published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
