Vacheron Constantin celebrated its 270th anniversary throughout the year; what was your role ?
270 years of uninterrupted activity are unique in the world of watchmaking. Vacheron Constantin has successfully preserved its archives, which include over 400 linear meters of production records, letters, sketches, photographs, and, of course, stories! This heritage is an incredible source of inspiration for our designers, allowing them to create modern and contemporary timepieces that embody a precious and sensitive link between the past and the present. My role remains the same: to be a guardian of history, ensuring that the Maison’s heritage, which has greatly contributed to the entire industry, continues to build on the great tradition of haute horlogerie to innovate and amaze.
You unveiled La Quête du Temps at the Louvre, probably the most complex mechanical artwork in the world—how would you summarize its concept?
Our anniversary tradition began in 2005, for the Maison’s 250th, with the presentation of an extremely complex wristwatch featuring 16 complications. Ten years later, we revealed the Reference 57260, the most complicated watch in history at that time. For the 270th anniversary, we ventured into a new territory, without aiming to break records: the idea arose to combine an astronomical clock with an automaton, integrated into the movement itself—a project requiring seven years of R&D and unprecedented in its scope.
From the outset, we assembled a team of experts: François Junod, the world’s foremost automaton maker, L’Épée 1839, artisans dedicated to ornamentation, and astronomers from the Geneva Observatory who enriched and validated the celestial narrative.
This creation pays tribute to the Maison’s pursuit of excellence and humanity’s enduring quest to measure time. It carries symbolic and philosophical resonance, reflecting the mission of a centuries-old Maison born in the Age of Enlightenment.
This pursuit of excellence, applied both to artistic crafts and watchmaking mastery, has resulted in the creation of fifteen unique pieces, including a new Celestia.
The Celestia belongs to the Les Cabinotiers collection, dedicated to one-of-a-kind watches and bespoke creations. For this anniversary year, we presented two new Celestia pieces, one in rose gold and the other in white gold, enhanced with decorations from artistic crafts such as engraving. These Celestia Astronomical Grand Complications—honoring both heliocentric and geocentric theories—feature 23 mainly astronomical complications and over 500 components. Once again, these pieces perfectly embody the combination of technical virtuosity and artisanal mastery.
The Armillary Tourbillon – Le Mythe des Pléiades captivates with its original architecture.
This extraordinary watch brings together two essential dimensions of horological art. On one hand, it showcases impressive technical mastery, featuring a bi-axial tourbillon and a double retrograde mechanism for hours and minutes. On the other hand, it displays remarkable hand-engraving work on the case, lugs, and bezel, combining soft engraving, micro-sculpture, chiseling, and champlevé techniques, which required over 450 hours of craftsmanship. The result is a fascinating fusion of mechanical virtuosity and artistic craftsmanship, making this piece both technically and aesthetically exceptional.
If you had to highlight two other completely different Les Cabinotiers models?
First, I would mention the Hommage aux Guerriers Épiques, a series of four unique pieces. Representing major technical and aesthetic challenges, these watches showcase Vacheron Constantin’s expertise in creating grand complication timepieces—including an ultra-thin minute repeater—enhanced by artistic crafts. The dials combine hand engraving and grand feu miniature enameling, complemented by hand-engraved cases. For example, the Genghis Khan model features a yellow gold dial engraved with the Mongolian steppes and mountains using soft engraving, while Genghis Khan on horseback, with a falcon perched on his arm, is rendered in vivid enamel miniatures, with flying dust creating a sense of speed and realism.
The second piece, the Cosmica Duo – Grand Complication, presents two worlds through an ingenious reversible system: one dial projects you into the stars, while the other showcases the kinetic art of the new Calibre 2756-B1. This watch features 24 primarily astronomical complications, including a minute repeater and tourbillon regulation. Beyond its technical complexity and unique design, its originality lies in its reversibility. Measuring 47 mm in diameter and 20.20 mm thick, it houses 1,003 components, and the white gold case features articulated lugs with removable strap attachments that can be fitted on either side without tools.
And how is this demonstration of expertise reflected in more accessible collections?
The Les Cabinotiers workshops fuel both technical R&D and the exploration of artistic crafts. While we remain committed to traditional skills—such as enameling, engraving, and gem-setting—the work carried out on Les Cabinotiers pieces allows us to reimagine these techniques in new forms or innovative combinations. These creative approaches and refinements then trickle down into our regular collections, making the excellence, artistry, and technical ingenuity of our haute horlogerie accessible to a wider audience while maintaining the Maison’s signature quality and aesthetic.
To conclude, what is your favorite model in this anniversary collection ?
Choosing just one is too difficult, so allow me to mention three!
First, the Historiques 222 in steel, a legendary piece highlighting the Maison’s rich aesthetic and cultural heritage. Then, the Traditionnelle manual-winding in platinum, featuring a dial adorned with a geometric motif created specifically for the 270th anniversary. Finally, the Métiers d’Art Hommage à La Quête du Temps, a spectacular watch indicating time with raised arms, continuing the legacy of the astronomical clock La Quête du Temps exhibited at the Louvre.
