Vacheron Constantin introduces new Metiers d’Art watches

Vacheron Constantin expresses its artistic side this summer with two creations from its Metiers d’Art collection, designed in a typically conceptual design and bearing a lofty title: Homage to Traditional Symbols. In this case, the symbols pay homage to an iconic element of Chinese culture, the seawater cliff, a decorative motif specific to the imperial court of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The theme of cliffs lapped by waves recurs repeatedly in Chinese art, sculpture, architecture and other objects. Vacheron’s artisans have created two decorative models whose dials depict stylized sea waves crashing against steep cliffs. On one representation, the waves are represented with rows of diamonds that glow in the moonlight, and on the other with cloisonné enamel in colors that represent the vegetation on the cliffs.

“The series is an example of our commitment to integrating, transferring and interpreting elements from other cultures and traditions, without ever losing the stylistic identity of the House,” says Christian Selmoni, Vacheron’s Style and Culture Director. “The motif we chose can be found on courtly architectural elements, but also on furniture and porcelain, as well as on imperial clothing, the so-called dragon robes worn by the emperors. It represented imperial stability and symbolized the emperor’s immutability in the face of the vagaries of life. These overhanging mountain cliffs remain untouched by the waves. Like the unshakable cliff above the waves, a symbol of peace and longevity, the emperor was the guarantor of the country’s happiness and prosperity.” They were created in close collaboration with (Mr. Song), a former deputy research librarian at the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City in Beijing and an expert in Chinese symbolism.

These pieces exude a certain energy not present in other Vacheron Constantin collections, including the sports models and high complications, because they represent movement. The waves rise up on the dial as they break, and are made even more dramatic by their decoration. The Moonlight Slivers model, for example, is surely the only watch in history to depict crashing ocean waves made entirely of diamonds. The intention is to make them reflect the glow of the moonlight, hence the name. The diamond wave is reminiscent of the line from Heart’s “Dreamboat Annie” – “Riding on the diamond waves…” The surf against a background of dark blue grand feu enamel also adds to the drama, with cliffs made of tone-on-tone champlevé enamel inlays in the foreground. On the 18-carat red gold version of this model, the cliffs are red gold colored. On the 18-carat gold model, they are silver. Diamond-set bezels frame the scene on both models.

The cloisonné enamel piece “Eternal Flow” is also graphically strong, with bright colors that give the waves an even stronger sense of movement. The method used pays homage to a craft that originated in China, where cloisonné enamel was called Jingtai Blue. It wasn’t easy: to create the dial, the artisan must lay out 220 gold wires on the dial to form the composition, a process that takes 50 hours. Another 70 hours are devoted to the enameling process, and as someone who has tried his hand at cloisonné and was very humbled by the experience, I can say that making a dial like this is a lot harder than it looks. It involves mixing enamel powder with just the right amount of water for just the right color, and trying to place it evenly within the gold wire boundary with a tiny brush. The colors must remain consistent across repeated firings. Each plate must be absolutely consistent in terms of color and texture, and this is all done under a microscope. 70 hours long.

The bezel of this piece is a little story in itself. It is fully engraved with a stylized bat motif, an eccentric animal choice if ever there was one. But in the Chinese language, “bat” and “luck” are pronounced similarly. In Chinese decoration, five bats are often seen together, traditionally expressing the “Five Lucky Charms”: longevity, wealth, stability, virtue and luck. Each model is available in 39mm white and rose gold cases, with 15 of each metal, for a total of 60. They are powered by the automatic caliber 2460 with a 40-hour power reserve. On the back, a 24-carat gold rotor is finely engraved with the seawater cliff motif. Price upon request.