Vacheron Constantin maps the zodiac on a watch dial

Vacheron Constantin looks to the heavens for its latest Métiers d’Art series, Tribute to the Celestial. Comprising 12 new watches – each dedicated to a different zodiac sign and its constellation – the collection fuses the heritage maison’s horological expertise with the rare handcrafts that define the Swiss brand's Métiers d’Art line.

Set in 39mm white gold cases, the watches feature dials crafted using figurative guilloché, a technique developed in-house. Departing from the abstract patterns typically associated with guillochage, these dials depict recognisable zodiac symbols – from Aries to Pisces – alongside their corresponding constellations, marked with brilliant-cut white diamonds. Four of the signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Aquarius) include opaline detailing to further enhance the engraving.

Each blue dial, laid over a sunburst-finished gold base, is framed by a halo of 96 baguette-cut blue sapphires - around 3.87 carats in total - set into the bezel, lugs, crown and clasp. Channel-setting allows the sapphires to form a seamless ring of colour, echoing the circular motion of the heavens. Applied white gold hour markers and a Maltese Cross complete the layout, while a dark blue alligator strap reinforces the celestial theme.

The guilloché surface itself is composed of tiny triangles formed by dense, chisel-traced lines. Each dial takes around 16 hours to complete, with the guillocheur varying angles and pressure to achieve the kind of curved motifs rarely seen in traditional engine-turning, a technique more commonly associated with geometric patterns.

Powering the watches is the Calibre 2160 - Vacheron Constantin’s ultra-thin, self-winding tourbillon movement, measuring just 5.65 mm thick. A peripheral rotor ensures an unobstructed view through the open caseback, revealing details such as Côtes de Genève finishing, hand-bevelled bridges and a tourbillon cage shaped like the maison’s signature Maltese Cross. Certified with the Poinçon de Genève, a hallmark of excellence, and offering an 80-hour power reserve, the movement rewards close inspection as much as the dial itself does.