Inspired by human adventure and great achievements
The desire to achieve a sense of fulfilment and pride is inherent in the human spirit and every culture celebrates exhilarating quests and epic figures who have faced difficulties and overcome challenges in pursuit of that goal. From the classics – Homer's epic poem about the homecoming of Odysseus (Ulysses) to more recent tales, the collective imagination is inspired by stories that have encouraged countless generations of humans to embark on their own quests.
Throughout its 270-year history Vacheron Constantin has defined itself by its quest for excellence a journey of exploration, discovery and achievement marked by many challenges and milestones, with one idea in mind: always to challenge and go beyond what it knows to be possible.
The Les Cabinotiers Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater series echoes this quest, inspired by the belief that the path to fulfilment is to be found through human adventure and exceptional achievements. The four watches pay tribute to four great warriors – to their courage, perseverance and ingenuity in the face of great challenges and to the noble legacies that they left behind.
The heartbeat of the famous ultra-thin minute repeater calibre 1731
Because a minute repeater is not only a timepiece but also a miniaturised musical instrument, it is one of the most difficult of all horological complications to master. The technical challenge is to create a mechanism that transcribes the time shown on the dial into a series of strikes with a pure and harmonious sound that is clearly audible and delivered with clear rhythm.
Vacheron Constantin's rich heritage of striking watches is anchored by its first minute repeater pocket watch in 1806 and first repeater wristwatch in 1935. Building on this legacy, Calibre 1731 was the outcome of a four-year quest to solve the complex equation between a pure sound and aesthetic beauty, and a slender movement without compromising reliability and robustness. Named for the birth year of the Maison's founder Jean-Marc Vacheron and introduced in the Patrimony collection in 2013, Calibre 1731 is just 3.9 mm thick, yet provides a power reserve of 65 hours from a single, manually wound barrel.
The tempo of the chimes is achieved by a flying strike governor that controls the rate at which the hammers strike the gongs. This regulating system is completely silent as a result of its using opposing centrifugal and centripetal forces. To amplify the sound while ensuring that it remains clear and pure, the gong is attached directly to the case.
The beauty of the movement's architecture is visible through the transparent caseback, which reveals most of the gear train as well as the hammers, gong and strike governor. Its open and airy look is enhanced by meticulous component finishes that combine to create an eye-catching play of light. Circular graining (perlage) on the mainplate is complemented by Côtes de Genève and hand-bevelling on the bridges, and hand-chamfered jewel sinks. Vacheron Constantin's attention to detail extends to movement components that are no longer visible once the calibre has been assembled. One example in Calibre 1731 is the Maltese cross shape of a component of the strike governor - the Maison's emblem.
Rare decorative crafts combine to express the spirit of heroism
The four Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater watches bring together the savoir-faire of a master enameller and master engraver.
The case is engraved with an intricate pattern that reflects the subject of the dial using the taille-douce line engraving technique. The attention to detail on the engraving is such that the minute repeater activation slide is also engraved. Created from thousands of fine incisions in the metal, each only 1/10 to 2/10 millimetre thick, these visually rich patterns require approximately 160 hours of work for a single case and its matching buckle.
Made of 18K 2N yellow gold, the dials showcase the crafts of hand-engraving and grand feu miniature enameling. The dial background creates a subtle texture of matt and shiny surfaces that play with the effects of light to reveal features of the landscape where the warrior achieved one of his victories. This delicate and precise work requires 20 hours to complete the background of a single dial.
Once the engraving is completed, the dial is passed to the enameller, who begins by applying a layer of transparent flux to protect the gold dial disc and create a flat surface, then fires the disc in a kiln. Next, to ensure that the colours of the miniature painting will stand out against the gold background, the enameller creates a silhouette of the intended illustration in white enamel, applying two layers. High-temperature firing follows each layer of application.
Then, the miniature painting begins, applying a suspension of crushed enamel pigment with ultra-fine brushes (sometimes only a single hair thick). The challenge is not only to create highly detailed images on a tiny scale but also to imbue them with a feeling of life, energy and movement. In all, for these dials, six or seven layers of enamel are required to create the desired tonal nuances and depth of colour, with firing at a very high temperature (800-900°) after each layer. Two layers of protective overglazing flux are then applied, again with firing after each layer, and finally the completed dial is hand-polished to maximise its radiance. The challenge of this work is heightened by the knowledge that even the slightest mistake can cause irreversible damage with the consequent loss of dozens of hours of work. The enameller devoted approximately 120 hours of work to each of these dials.
Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater – Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great (356–323 BC) was a Macedonian king and military commander whose conquests reshaped the political, economic and cultural landscape of the ancient world. Never defeated in battle, he was more than just a military conqueror; he was a visionary who combined charismatic leadership, intellectual prowess and strategic acumen that extended far beyond the battlefield.
The background of the 18K 2N yellow gold dial is hand-engraved with a pattern representing the spears of Alexander the Great's army, created using the taille-douce line engraving technique. A softly blurred effect in certain areas adds greater dynamism and strength to the figure of Alexander riding his horse Bucephalus on the battlefield, miniature painted in enamel with great detail and vivid colour. The 18K white gold case and buckle are hand-engraved with a Macedonian pattern of notches reminiscent of those on Alexander's spear.
Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater – Antar ('Antarah ibn Shaddad)
Antar ('Antarah ibn Shaddad; 528–608 AD) was the most famous of the warrior poets who undertook epic quests in pre-Islamic Arabia. He was descended from nobility on both sides: his father, Shaddad, was an emir of the Banu Abs clan and his mother was an African princess who had been captured in a raid on the Kingdom of Axum (Abyssinia) and enslaved. Because of his mother's status, Antar was born into slavery. Nevertheless, he grew into an exceptional warrior – strong and quick, skilled in the martial arts and an excellent horseman – as well as a talented poet. Recognising these skills, his father offered him a position in the warrior class of the Abs, which Antar accepted on condition of being granted his freedom.
The 18K 2N yellow gold dial of the Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater – Antar watch is dominated by the figure of the warrior-poet, mounted his horse and confronting the lion that he defeated during one of the adventures recounted in Sirat 'Antarah. Richly detailed and exuding nobility and strength, it is miniature painted in enamel, standing out against the hand-engraved background of a desert landscape. Using the taille-douce line engraving technique, the 18K white gold case and buckle is hand-engraved with a pattern of arabesques.
Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater – Genghis Khan
Named Temujin at birth and raised in extreme poverty after the death of his father, Genghis Khan (1162 –1227) became one of the most famous warrior-rulers of history. He rose to power by unifying the nomadic tribes of Mongolia into a rigidly disciplined military state. In 1206, with the adopted title Genghis Khan (meaning 'universal ruler'), he began conquering settled societies beyond the steppes, eventually creating an empire that extended from Asia's Pacific coast to the Eastern Mediterranean.
On the Homage to Epic Warriors Minute repeater – Genghis Khan watch, the background of the 18K 2N yellow gold dial is hand-engraved with a pattern representing the vast Mongolian steppes and distant mountains, created with matt and shiny surfaces. Dominating the dial, the figure of Genghis Khan riding his horse into battle with his falcon perched on his arm is miniature painted in vividly coloured enamel. Dust kicked up by the horse's hooves adds to the impression of speed and power. The 18K 3N yellow gold case and buckle are hand-engraved with a motif inspired by traditional Mongolian patterns.
Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater – Sasaki Moritsuna
A military commander in medieval Japan, Sasaki Moritsuna was a samurai – a member of the elite warrior class that shaped the country's history from the 12th to the 19th centuries. Beyond their martial skills, samurai also held roles as administrators and scholars, serving as loyal retainers to the powerful regional lords who ruled Japan at the time. A son of Sasaki Hideyoshi, head of the Sasaki clan, Moritsuna served Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder and the first shogun of Kamakura shogunate.
The 18K 2N yellow gold dial depicts the pivotal moment in the Battle of Fujito when Moritsuna led his troops across the sea. The background is hand-engraved with a representation of the waves, created with matt and shiny surfaces. This subtle background provides a foil for the powerful image of the warrior on his horse, holding his katana (sword) above his head. The fine detail and vivid colours of this image are miniature painted in enamel. The 18K 3N yellow gold case is hand-engraved with an intricate Japanese-style motif that depicts the waves on the Inland Sea and is repeated on the matching gold buckle fastening the alligator strap.
