Vacheron Constantin introduces the innovative Métiers d’Art – Tribute to the Quest of Time. A miniature piece of mechanical art on the wrist that showcases why Vacheron Constantin is one of the best!
When you do anything for 270 years consistently, you are bound to get good – really good, at it. Perhaps this is why Vacheron Constantin is one of the best watchmakers around today. The brand has been in continual operation, striving to be the best for 270 years and in that time, coming out with many high complications and artistic pieces. This is also what makes Vacheron Constantin super interesting in the watch world, as it is constantly bringing to life amazing pieces that are both beautifully crafted and engineered to perfection. When both of these worlds collide, you end up with a piece like the Métiers d’Art – Tribute to the Quest of Time. A showcase of both high-level artisanal craftsmanship blended with horological expertise!
Ok, so there is a lot to talk about in this watch, which has been designed in tribute to the incredible astronomical clock that Vacheron Constantin unveiled recently (pictured below). With 4 patents pending, 3 years in development, 2 time modes and astronomical displays, it is nothing short of extraordinary.
Above: Vacheron Constantin’s Director of Style & Heritage, Christian Selmoni, talks guests through La Quête du Temps Mécanique d’Art clock at the unveiling at the Louvre in Paris. A piece that was 7 years in the making, has 6,293 mechanical components (including 2,370 for the clock), 23 watchmaking complications and 44 gestures by the automaton. Below, you can see the elements that the Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time takes inspiration from.
The Dial Side
So let’s start with the functionality on the dial. The Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time tells the time via the use of a double retrograde display indicated by the arms of a golden sitting on the dial. The figure is crafted in titanium with a golden PVD treatment, then sandblasted with hand-patina finishing and points out the hours and minutes on the two arcs on either side. On the left in Roman Numerals is the hour, and on the right side, in Arabic Numerals are the minutes. They will jump simultaneously back to 0 when the time reaches midnight or midday. This is a technical feat achieved through a governing mechanism that allows both retrogrades to operate independently across their respective time frames, but resets every twelve hours.
What is also unique about this complication is that Vacheron Constantin has given you the option of both on-demand and continuous time. When in “standby mode”, the figure’s arms are down, ready to spring ot life on demand, activated by the pusher at 10 o’clock on the side of the case. When in “active mode”, the arms operate as a normal watch would, showing the time as it is.
At the 12 o’clock position, there is a 3D moon that tracks both the age of the moon as the sphere rotates and via the outer rehaut and gold arrow indicator, the phase of the 29.5-day lunar month. This can be adjusted independently outside of the time setting, so you can alter it based on the hemisphere you are in, and ensure the moon phase is always correct. The 3D moon is made of titanium, hand-engraved and polished, then given a PVD coating, which allows it to indicate the dark and light sides of the moon. At the bottom of the dial, there are two power reserve indicators for the 6-day power reserve. 6-3 on the left, and 3-0 on the right.
All these indications and the golden figure sit atop a blued sapphire crystal dial, which has within it a sky chart showing the stars and constellations in the sky above Geneva, exactly as they were on September 17th, 1755 – the date Vacheron Constantin came to be. To do this, Vacheron Constantin worked with astronomers at the Geneva Observatory to re-create the sky as it was 270 years ago to ensure an accurate depiction of it.
The sapphire dial is actually constructed using two layers. On the underside of the top crystal, the blue gradient effect and the 1755 sky chart are created by metallisation, and the second layer is fixed beneath the first to protect it from any damage. This shows off the Calibre 3670 below.
Two Watches In One
On the reverse side of the Métiers d’Arts – Tribute to the Quest of Time is a celestial star chart that displays the sidereal day and tracks the constellations in real time, accurate to one day of variation in 9,130 years. For those not familiar with how sidereal time works, it is effectively Earth’s rotation in relation to the stars, and a sidereal day is not the same as a solar day, which we use in normal time keeping, as it’s about 4 minutes shorter than a standard day. This means that at any point in time, in any given year, the watch will showcase the heavens as they are until about the year 11,000, should the watch and earth, for that matter, will still be around.
Inside the Métiers d’Arts – Tribute to the Quest of Time is the handwound calibre 3670, which comprises 512 components and all in a comparatively compact 34mm diameter x 7.8mm thick movement. It has three barrels that allow the Calibre 3670 to have a rather large 6-day / 144-hour power reserve, all the while running at 5Hz / 36,000 VpH. The reason Vacheron Constantin has equipped the watch with the three barrels is twofold. One, it allows the watch to run at a higher frequency without compromising on the power, and two, the dual retrograde time functions require a lot of torque thanks to having both on-demand and active time, so the triple barrel inclusion allows this run with minimal disruption to the amplitude of the watch.
Surprisingly, all this artisanal work and mechanical miniaturisation has been fitted into a white gold case measuring 43mm and 13.48mm thick. This is a testament to the watchmakers at Vacheron, who have masterfully worked both movement and dial craft into the Métiers d’Arts – Tribute to the Quest of Time. As such, like all Vacheron Constantin pieces, this is certified with the Poinçon de Genève, meaning it has passed the strict standards applied to those watches that undergo this certification.
Initial Thoughts
This is a watch that I will probably never get to see in person. With a limited production of just 20 watches for the 270th Anniversary, these will be in high demand from VIP collectors and with a price tag to suit. But like all Vacheron Constantin creations, especially those that come out of the Métiers d’Art, it is a sensational piece of storytelling, art and engineering all at play to create one amazing watch, if you can call it “just a watch”. The deeper I go into the watch world rabbit hole, and the more I learn about a brand like Vacheron Constantin, the more I appreciate pieces like this. It effectively ticks all the boxes you want in a high-end piece.
This year, being Vacheron Constantin’s 270th Birthday, the Genevois brand has done an exceptional job at celebrating it. From the activations and exhibitions, to the special editions it has brought forward, starting with the steel 222 at the very start of the year. Each piece, and each celebration, has been perfectly in line with the brand and the overarching premise, “The Quest Of Time”. This watch, along with the very impressive Quête du Temps Mécanique d’Art, ties all this together perfectly and both embody the legacy of the last 270 years of Vacheron Constantin.
Reference: 7200A/000G-H103
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 43mm x 13.58mm thick
- Case Material: 18k White Gold
- Dial: Double sapphire-crystal dial with blue transparent gradient; 1755 celestial vault metallization; dragging double retrograde hour/minute display; 3D precision moon & moon age; 6-day power reserve sectors; gold Roman numerals and Arabic minute markers.
- Caseback: Sapphire crystal with sky chart and Sidereal day indications from the northern hemisphere
- Water Resistance: 30m (3 Bar)
- Movement: Manual winding Calibre 3670, 512 components with three barrels and operating at 5Hz (36,000 VpH)
- Power reserve: 144 hours / 6 days
- Crystal: Dopmed sapphire crystal
- Strap: Dark blue alligator leather with alligator lining, hand-stitched with gold thread, and 18K white gold folding clasp