The double pillars of time and travel hold equal allure for Swiss brand Vacheron Constantin, which has chosen to mark a long and illustrious history of exploring the limits of both with a new collection of watches. It’s a journey that can be traced back to the company’s inception in the 18th century, when founder Jean-Marc Vacheron’s grandson, Jacques-Barthélemi Vacheron, expressed a keen interest in expanding past the borders of the Geneva-based company into Europe, America, Asia and the Middle East.
Side and front views of the exquisitely-produced dials of an Armillary Tourbillon and a Minute Repeater Tourbillon, both created as a tribute to the art deco style by Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers department as part of its Récits de Voyages collection
‘Vacheron Constantin is rooted in Geneva, which has forever been open to the world, being at the crossroads of cultural and economic development,’ says Vacheron Constantin’s product marketing and innovation director Sandrine Donguy. ‘This openness to the world has pushed Vacheron Constantin to explore new markets that have been a source of inspiration. The world of exploration, where curiosity reigns supreme, embodies values that are deeply rooted within the maison. The timepieces emerging from the manufacture have consistently made their way to the ends of the earth.’
She cites early examples, including the 1932 world time pocket watch, which displayed the time in 31 cities around the globe, and the 1994 Mercator watch, with its highly complex jumping hours and dragging minutes system, to show the horological implications of this fascination. The new collection, Récits de
Voyages, which is composed of one-off watches made by Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers bespoke creation department, builds on this history, uniting some exquisitely-produced métiers d’art techniques. Inspired by a host of international references, dial styles include a Haussmannian pattern inspired by the city of Paris, an engraving technique representing the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, and an art deco pattern inspired by the Chrysler Building in New York.
An intricate example of Vacheron Constantin's watch craft
‘Some techniques have been applied in a very classical manner, which doesn’t mean that they don’t still require remarkable skills,’ says Donguy. ‘These include bas-relief engraving, chasing and guilloché on several cases and dials. The engraving techniques have been complemented with a new approach that involves micro-sculpting and damascening extremely fine plates cut from yellow, pink and white gold.’
Side and front views of the exquisitely-produced dials of an Armillary Tourbillon and a Minute Repeater Tourbillon, both created as a tribute to the art deco style by Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers department as part of its Récits de Voyages collection
Dials were then assembled like a jigsaw, layering delicate and minute pieces of gold in a play on depth and texture. ‘In a similar register of rare and remarkable skills, we chose to craft a dial in wood marquetry using a technique inspired by cloisonné enamels,’ continues Donguy. ‘In a nutshell, the Récits de Voyages series is another illustration of our artisans’ creative freedom based on a combination of métiers d’art and techniques to highlight Vacheron Constantin’s deep commitment to arts and cultures.’
A version of this story appears in the January 2024 Next Generation Issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today!
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