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Vacheron Constantin has released 12 beautiful new pieces that are a tribute to the 12 constellations and accompanying signs of the zodiac, and they are out of this world!

When you think of watches, you may not instantly think about the 12 signs of the Zodiac, but Vacheron Constantin has done just that. Though their Métiers d’Art, Vacheron Constantin has captured these constellations and zodiac signs in stunning fashion by crafting 12 pieces that showcase each of the astrological formations that many link to our lives here on earth. All of which are crafted in a 39mm white gold case set with baguette-cut blue sapphires, and to top it off, has used the ultra-thin self-winding manufacture Calibre 2160 tourbillon movement. But, before we get into the watches, let’s take a quick sidebar on the importance of the night sky and the constellation…

Looking To The Stars

Whether you are into astrology and believe it guides your life, or simply someone who likes to ponder the nature of the universe, astrology and the study of the constellations have been a source of fascination for humanity since the ancient Mesopotamians, approximately 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. The ancient Mesopotamians (or Babylonians), created shapes in the sky, which we know as constellations, and this helped them to track the movements of the celestial bodies across the ecliptic, including the sun and moon, and associate these with occurrences on earth, such as the seasons, weather patterns and other natural phenomena.

While there are 88 constellations in the sky, (more or less depending on the culture and the specifc time in history you look at), the 12 zodiacal signs didn’t come along until later, somewhere around 500 BCE, when the Babylonians divided the ecliptic into 12 equal parts of 30 degrees, with each part being associated with a constellation. When these eventually spread to the Greeks, they translated the Babylonian names into Greek, and these are the names we have today, such as Taurus, Gemini, Aries, etc. In fact, the word Zodiac is Greek and literally means Circle of Animals.

Today, the constellations are still important; however, modern life means that we generally do not make decisions based on what we see in the sky, unlike our ancestors before us. Unfortunately, the chances are you can’t even see them if you look outside tonight, thanks to the light pollution cities give off. However, they are up there and ever-present, and today, Vacheron Constantin reminds us that the night skies are a foundational part of our evolution, our history, exploration and just one way humans have marked the passage of time. It’s beautifully poetic, I feel.

Crafting High Horology

Vacheron Constantin’s Métiers d’Art Tribute to The Celestial series has taken inspiration from a single-piece edition created in 2021 by Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers workshop, the Minute Repeater Tourbillon Sky Chart Leo Constellation Jewellery. This original piece features the hand guilloched constellation of Leo on the front, 60 60-second tourbillon at 6 o’clock, a gem-set bezel and a working sky chart on the back. This is all powered by the manual winding, 413-component Calibre 2755 TMRCC that can chime the hour, quarters and minutes on demand. When you look at this Piece Unique, you can see instantly the inspiration for the new collection.

The new collection of 12 takes the design codes of the 2021 release, and while not housing a minute repeater, are still a showcase of craftsmanship and execution by Vacheron’s Métiers d’Art, with much of the skill crafting these pieces in the dial, guilloche and gem setting.

Each piece showcases a hand-guilloched zodiac sign with its corresponding constellation that forms part of a dial that takes eight separate steps to complete. Just the zodiac sign alone takes 16 hours of meticulous work to complete, as each triangle is handcrafted and placed to form the figure. Vacheron Constantin elaborates:

“To begin, the dial base, a thin disc of 18K 5N gold, is marked with the outlines of the constellations and zodiac signs. Then, a sunburst finish is applied to the entire dial and the opaline details added to the four ‘human’ signs. The next step is the hand-guillochage of the zodiac sign. Only when this is completed can the aperture for the tourbillon be cut out, after which the blue colour is applied. Then, to define the map of each constellation, the dial is machined to reveal the gold dial base in a tracery of fine lines. On completion of this step, a protective varnish is applied to the entire dial. Then come the final details: the transfer-stamping of the minutes and seconds tracks and the Vacheron Constantin name; the application of the white gold indexes and the Maison’s Maltese Cross emblem; and finally, the setting of the diamonds that mark the principal stars in each constellation.” 

Surrounding the blue sunburst dial is a bezel that is set with blue baguette-cut sapphires, as are the lugs, crown and buckle. All up, 96 baguette-cut blue sapphires weighing 3.87 carats are set into the case of each piece, with another 16 set into the buckle, taking over 27 hours of gem-setting work all up. The result, however, is remarkable, and when you see these artisans doing this, you can understand how painstaking this is.

At 6 o’clock, you have a 1-minute tourbillon offsetting the effects of gravity, crafted in the shape of the Maltese Cross, with the bridge of the cage that also acts as the small seconds hand. This provides a good balance on the dial below the zodiac sign, which, if not there, would make the dials less of a standout, plus who doesn’t like a tourbillon slowly spinning around?

Each piece is sized a very comfortable 39mm in diameter, 10.7mm thick and is water resistant to 30m and made from 18k white gold, which will give the watches that bit of heft that feels like you have something special on the wrist.

The Beating Heart

Vacheron Constantin has used the Calibre 2160 to power the new collection. This is an automatic winding tourbillon with an 80-hour power reserve from a single barrel. Vacheron achieves this by slowing down the heartbeat to a mild 2.5Hz, or 18,000 VpH as opposed to the now fairly standard 4Hz. This is more akin to vintage watch making with larger balance wheels and a slower beat rate than we have today, so while it serves a purpose, there is something slightly nostalgic about it as well. The Calibre is only 5.65mm thick, which by ultra-thin standards today isn’t overly thin, but when you consider the case size of just 39mm, then this is fair.

The movement is decorated as you would expect from Vacheron Constantin – Perlage on the mainplate, hand bevelled bridges with Côtes de Genève, circular-grained wheels and chamfered and polished screws. And rather than taking up precious space with a micro-rotor or adding thickness to the movement with a traditional rotor, the Tribute to the Celestial collection has a peripheral rotor made of 22k gold. Just another small aspect to admire when looking at the caseback. And of course, the watch bears the Poinçon de Genève, or Hallmark of Geneva, as well, on both the movement and case, signifying its quality, craftsmanship and durability.

Initial Thoughts

The more I get into Vacheron Constantin, the more I seem to like the brand. The attention to detail, meticulous finishing, not to mention the way the brand is able to articlulate its story and brings a somewhat romanticism to the pieces it creates. The Mètiers d’Arts Tribute to the Celestial is a prime example of this. Creating unique pieces that tell a story and bring you back to a time when the stars, the earth and time were all interlinked with our daily lives, not to mention the exploration of the world.

This collection is for people who appreciate artisanal work and want a piece that is truly like no other, but at the same time, is personal, thanks to the star sign and constellation on the dial. The design may not be up everyone’s alley, but they are not too overt thanks to Vacheron’s restraint in design and style. It is a watch you may have to look twice at to realise what you are looking at. In the end, this collection is essentially wearable time-telling art, and at this end of the horological spectrum, isn’t it what it’s all about?

References

Specifications

• Case dimensions: 39mm x 10.7mm thick
• Case Material: 18k White Gold set with 96 baguette-cut sapphires set on the bezel, lugs and crown ~ 3.87 cts
• Dial: 5N gold dial base with a hand-guilloché motif depicting each of the 12 zodiac signs and corresponding constellations. Stars set with brilliant-cut diamonds, 18K white gold Maltese Cross appliqué & Railway minute-track. 18K white gold applied hour-markers, 18k white gold bi-faceted sword-shaped hour and minute hands
• Water resistance: 30 meters/ 3ATM
• Movement: Manufacture Calibre 2160, Mechanical, self-winding, peripheral rotor, Tourbillon, 188 components pivoting on 30 jewels
• Movement Frequency: 2.5Hz / 18,000VpH
• Power reserve: 80 hours
• Strap: Dark blue alligator leather with alligator lining, 18K white gold folding clasp set with 16 baguette-cut sapphires ~ 0.53 cts.

Recommended Retail Price: Price on application

Availability: Limited production, available on request. See you local Vacheron Constantin boutique or head to Vacheron-Constantin.com