Cover Les Cabinotiers Grisaille High Jewellery–Dragon (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
Les Cabinotiers Grisaille High Jewellery–Dragon (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
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Journey through Asia, Europe and the Americas with Vacheron Constantin through the Les Cabinotiers Récits de Voyages series
Vacheron Constantin delivers the Récits de Voyages series as a fantastical odyssey in watchmaking, celebrating the world and all its magnificent wonders. A collection that mirrors the maison’s international expansion since the 19th century, we explore some of the finest timepieces that employ craftsmanship and mechanical artistry as a means of expression.
Les Cabinotiers Memorable Places–Entrance Gate to Angkor Thom
Les Cabinotiers Memorable Places comprises four 40mm-diameter watches with hand-engraved dials that pay homage to traditional Asian architecture and the maison’s former headquarters in Geneva. A showcase of technical mastery, these watches are powered by in-house Calibre 1120, one of the finest self-winding movements ever produced by Vacheron Constantin that’s ultra-thin at only 2.45mm.
Above Les Cabinotiers Memorable Places–Entrance Gate to Angkor Thom (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
Les Cabinotiers Memorable Places–Entrance Gate to Angkor Thom (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
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Among the collection inspired by period illustrations of famous architectural sites in the Far East is the entrance to Angkor Thom in Cambodia. Envisioned in yellow, white, and pink gold, the dial features nine engraved and damascened gold plates, bringing Louis Delaporte’s depiction of the temple’s southern gateway springs to life with impressive depth, a process that took some 200 hours to complete.
Above Les Cabinotiers Grisaille High Jewellery–Dragon (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
Les Cabinotiers Grisaille High Jewellery–Dragon (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
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Les Cabinotiers Grisaille High Jewellery–Dragon
A meaningful tribute to China, the Les Cabinotiers Grisaille High Jewellery–Dragon pays homage to Vacheron Constantin’s trade connection with the nation, dating back to 1845. The dial of this hypnotic timepiece features a five-clawed imperial dragon. Vacheron Constantin’s master artisans devised a new grisaille enamelling technique, tinted green, to enhance the appearance of the mythical beast synonymous with power, strength and good fortune.
Read more: Vacheron Constantin celebrates the wonders of the East
The maison also engaged in the gem-setting of a model with a dial of this kind, adorning the timepiece with 146 baguette-cut diamonds on the bezel, middle, and lugs, with a brilliant-cut diamond embellishing the crown.
Above Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon–Tribute to Art Deco Style (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon–Tribute to Art Deco Style (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
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Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon–Tribute to Art Deco Style
The single-piece edition Les Cabinotiers Armillary tourbillon—Tribute to Art Deco style represents Vacheron Constantin’s deep connection to the Americas, dating back to 1832 when the first representative office opened in New York. The Les Cabinotiers Armillary tourbillon—Tribute to Art Deco style is a masterpiece of engraving and guilloché work, reflecting a period of prosperity and modern vision that dominated America in the 1920s.
Don't miss: The bespoke luxury of Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon
The highly technical 45mm-diameter timepiece is powered by Calibre 1990, an in-house movement featuring open architecture that facilitates an Art Deco-inspired motif. The manual-winding Calibre 1990 combines a dual-axis armillary tourbillon with an instantaneous bi-retrograde display.
Above Les Cabinotiers Malte Tourbillon–Tribute to Hausmannian Style (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
Les Cabinotiers Malte Tourbillon–Tribute to Hausmannian Style (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
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Les Cabinotiers Malte Tourbillon–Tribute to Hausmannian Style
The single-piece edition Les Cabinotier Malte Tourbillon—Tribute to Hausmannian style watch demonstrates masterful craftsmanship in engraving techniques. The timepiece echoes the major urban planning projects of Paris by Baron Haussmann in the mid-19th century, with ornamentation standardising the city's aesthetics, appearing on the capital's monuments and building exteriors. The timepiece also employs an in-house manual-winding Calibre 2790 SQ, the ultra-thin skeleton movement featuring a tourbillon regulator with date and power reserve.
See also: The new Vacheron Constantin watches available at its new boutique in Kuala Lumpur
Master engravers required 150 hours to craft the tonneau timepiece, a barrel shape first introduced in 1912, defining the iconic Malte collection. The ornate nature of this masterfully hand-crafted timepiece is exceeded only by its technical sophistication.
Above Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon–Tribute to Art Deco Style (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon–Tribute to Art Deco Style (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
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Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon–Tribute to Art Deco Style
The Les Cabinotiers Tribute to Art Deco Minute Repeater Tourbillon is one of two single-piece editions in the collection. In this 44mm-diameter timepiece, Vacheron Constantin channels the unique architectural splendour of the Chrysler Building, one of New York City’s most iconic Art Deco-inspired skyscrapers. The dial is assembled on two levels to accentuate depth through wood marquetry. The technique inspired by cloisonné enamelling in this model integrates with the champlevé technique for the first time.
Marquetry masters meticulously carved 110 small wood veneers to ensure a flawless fit for the enamel. A pearl minutes track featuring 11 faceted diamond hour-markers that progressively shrink approaching the 12 o'clock index to accentuate the vanishing point.
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