Introducing Vacheron Constantin Reveals The Métiers d’Art

Vacheron Constantin is recognized as the world's oldest continuously operating luxury watch manufacturer, with a history spanning over 250 years. It was founded in 1755 in Geneva, Switzerland.The brand is known for producing luxury watches that are often considered works of art.

Métiers d'Art is French for 'Artistic Professions', a term associated with the world of luxury watchmaking, particularly used by renowned Swiss watch manufacturer Vacheron Constantin. It refers to a collection of watches that are crafted with exceptional artistic and artisanal techniques. These watches often draw inspiration from various art forms, historical periods, and cultural influences, showcasing intricate engravings, miniature paintings, enameling, and other artistic techniques.

During the Watches and Wonders Shanghai 2023 event, Vacheron Constantin embarks on a journey through time, weaving aesthetics into its narrative. Drawing inspiration from the scientific expedition of naturalists aboard the English ship, the Beagle, in the early 1830s, the Métiers d'Art explorer naturalists collection opens a new portal to the world's wonders.

Available in four exclusive editions, either in pink or white gold and each measuring 41mm in diameter and 11.68mm in thickness, merging the talents of master engravers and master enamellers. Together, they craft naturalist’s global discoveries. It's an odyssey through time, history, and science, whisking collectors away on an expedition from “Cape Verde” to the” Cape of Good Hope”, through the “Strait of Magellan”, and on to “Tierra del Fuego”, characterized by a slender bezel and distinctive screw-topped lugs, this design draws inspiration from the timepieces crafted by Vacheron Constantin during the 1980s and 90s. 

Concealed within the upper dial section, the hour wheel features three arms, each adorned with four Arabic numerals. These arms are guided by camshafts shaped in homage to the Maltese cross emblem of the Manufacture. This satellite module allows the wandering hours to traverse the dial from its top to bottom, following a fixed minute track that spans in a 120° arc. In this display, the hour numerals journey across the dial, indicating the minutes, eliminating the need for a conventional minute hand.In the Métiers d’Art Tribute to Explorer Naturalists “Cape Verde”, a 41 mm white gold 750/1000 case unfolds a narrative. Its dial is divided into two parts, the upper section showcases an engraving and enameling that depict the grand silhouette of the Beagle. When viewed from its stern, the engraved gold ship, adorned with billowing sails, gracefully sails across a miniature-painted ocean.

On the lower part of the dial, where the hours and minutes are displayed, a naturalist tableau unfolds. Here, bouquets of flowers burst forth, blossoming beneath the lush foliage, showcasing an intricate interplay of colors. The watch's mechanism is revealed through a sapphire caseback. The watch is paired with a blue Mississipiensis alligator strap that is secured with a white gold 750/1000 folding buckle.

The Beagle voyaged through the Strait of Magellan, a region initially charted by the explorer from whom the ship derives its name. Despite its extreme remoteness, naturalists were astonished by the lush vegetation they encountered, where palm leaves intertwined with ferns, a scene beautifully recreated on the lower part of the “Straits of Magellan'' dial. On the upper part of the dial, a white gold engraving illustrates the Beagle, sailing on blue-enameled waves.The enameling artisan worked on the colors to achieve harmony with the pink gold case, that is paired with a blue Mississipiensis alligator strap secured by a pink gold folding buckle.

The journey continues to “Tierra del Fuego”. Here, aboard the Beagle, naturalists encountered a world of flora and fauna. Vacheron Constantin's artisans drew inspiration from period engravings to craft a multidimensional timepiece. Encased within a white gold case, the upper dial showcases a 3D butterfly and two birds set against a backdrop adorned with miniature paintings. Meanwhile, the lower part of the dial captures the intricate map of Tierra del Fuego, accompanied by a windrose. This watch is paired with a green Mississipiensis alligator strap, secured with a white gold folding buckle.

In the "Métiers d’Art Tribute to Explorer Naturalists," the ship embarks on a voyage to the “Cape of Good Hope” as the Beagle makes its return journey to Europe. This route, traversed by mariners since the late 15th century, comes to life on the lower part of the dial. On the upper part of the dial, the engraver and enameler collaborate to craft a landscape reminiscent of the Garden of Eden, mirroring what the naturalists witnessed during their stop at the “Cape of Good Hope”, with a bird plumage and the silhouette of an iguana adorn this timepiece within the 41mm pink gold case, accompanied by a green Mississipiensis alligator strap, with a pink gold folding buckle.

Every watch that was mentioned in this article is a ten-piece limited edition, and equipped with the self-winding in-house Caliber 1120 AT/1 that features Côtes de Genève guilloché pattern, elegantly graced by the presence of a 22K gold oscillating weight adorned with a compass rose. 

For more information please visit Vacheron Constantin website.