GAZING AT THE STARS
Through this spectacular series exalted, amongst other things, by the art of hand-guilloché engraving, the Genevan manufacture showcases its watchmakers’ technical and artistic talents.
Science and belief? Astronomy or astrology? One observes the stars, the other attributes intentions to them. Vacheron Constantin decided to bring them together in a collection made up of twelve Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Celestial pieces. Their rose gold dial features delightfully-delicate hand-guilloché engraving. This technique breathes life into the twelve zodiac signs. The use of chemical vapor deposition adorns the dial with a celestial blue hue. Constellations are then fashioned through precision machining and diamonds which conjure up the stars. At 6 o’clock, an opening unveils the regular twirling of a tourbillon in its Maltese cross-shaped cage. What’s more, this extraordinary scenography is magnified by 96 baguette-cut sapphires which pave the bezel of the 39 mm-diameter, 10.7 mm-thick white gold case.
A prestigious device nestles at the heart of this magnificent piece, i.e. Caliber 2160 which beats at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations an hour. This selfwinding movement, assembled using some 188 components, dazzles through its performance. It delivers some 80 hours of power reserve to each iteration. The existence of a sapphire-crystal back offers the opportunity to admire its exemplary hand finishes (circular-graining on the baseplate and Côtes de Genève on the bridges), as well as its peripheral oscillating weight. No need to call on a fortune teller to be sure: the excellent workmanship means that every creation is stamped with the highly-demanding Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Seal).
