Art meets horology: exceptional Vacheron Constantin timepieces inspired by the animal kingdom

Glass sculpting

Italian glass artist Simone Cresteni melted tiny glass rods and shaped them with tungsten to create the miniature octopus. Each tentacle and individual sucker of the octopus was constructed gradually, dot by dot, in a process akin to manual 3D printing. 

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Micro origami

The work of Germany-based Anya Midori, the Oraygami timepiece features swimming manta rays, measuring 5 mm to 10 mm.  They were folded from hand-coloured Japanese paper and mounted on fine brass stems, giving the illusion of weightlessness in water. 

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Gold embroidery

The tiger is an intricate composition of 9k yellow and white gold wires, and ceramic-coated wires laid on a copper base—the brilliant handiwork of Laura Baverstock, a graduate of the Royal School of Needlework in the UK. 

Paper sculpting

The crocodile was fashioned using microscopic paper sculpting on sheets of 250g and 300g, through a combination of embossing, laser-cutting, and hand-assembly. The artist responsible for the Papercroc timepiece is Marianne Guély who is known for her elaborate paper sculptures. 

Wood marquetry

Architect turned artist Anna Le Corno crafted this miniature falcon through the use of three distinct marquetry techniques: circular marquetry for the background; sculpted, layered marquetry for the body; and “feather-by-feather” assembly for the wing. Special tools had to be created, including scalpels similar to those used in surgery and custom sanding instruments. 

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