Few figures in haute horlogerie embody the spirit of their maison quite like Christian Selmoni, Style and Heritage Director at Vacheron Constantin. With over three decades at the world’s oldest continuously operating watch manufacture, Selmoni is not only the living memory of the brand but also its creative compass, expertly balancing tradition and innovation as Vacheron Constantin celebrates its remarkable 270th anniversary this year. Born into a family of watchmakers in the Vallée de Joux, Selmoni’s encyclopedic knowledge and passion for horological artistry have shaped some of the maison’s most significant milestones, from the legendary Tour de l’Ile to the record-breaking Les Cabinotiers Grand Complications. In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Mr. Selmoni to explore the legacy, vision, and enduring allure of Vacheron Constantin through the eyes of its most dedicated custodian.
Why is this combination of functions – minute repeater, chronograph and tourbillon – so unusual and how does this watch highlight them?
The combination is very rare in wristwatches, essentially for reasons of volume and precision. More usually in grand complication wristwatches, we see minute repeaters associated with perpetual calendars. That configuration certainly requires a great deal of expertise but the chronograph, with its clutch and column-wheel system – which on this piece is duplicated for the rattrapante – is an even bigger issue in terms of miniaturisation. It presents a challenge not only for the height of the movement, but also the resonance of the gongs, given that the more ‘cluttered’ the case is with components, the more it can jeopardise the quality of the sound. Added to this is the space required for the tourbillon. Therefore, it’s easy to understand why this combination of complications is much better suited to the volumes available in pocket watches rather than wristwatches. This is exactly what Vacheron Constantin wanted to highlight with this watch. The choice of an openworked sapphire dial for this new version of Calibre 2757 was made to reveal and highlight the full complexity of the mechanism, not least the ballet of its tourbillon, which remained hidden in the initial version presented in 2022.
What about the performance of the watch?
This grand complication incorporates a chronograph its most accomplished version – with split-seconds, a function that demands the utmost precision. The watchmakers at Vacheron Constantin paid particular attention to this issue, which is essential for obtaining Poinçon de Genève certification. This label of origin is also – and above all – a guarantee of quality and precision. As for the reliability and functionality of the chronograph, this watch has benefited from in-depth research into materials, in order to achieve excellent performance and optimisation of the energy chain.
Why did the finishing on the components of this watch take twice as long as the assembling and regulating of the movement?
This is because the aesthetics of the piece are just as important as the mechanical prowess it represents. Every movement component, after machining, has to be reworked and finished by hand according to the desired aesthetic result. Some operations, such as chamfering and round-polishing (or berçage) are extremely time-consuming. As another example, the precision of the hand finishes applied to the bridges – which are sandblasted with a polished moulding around the edge – cannot tolerate even the slightest error in the artisan’s gestures. This obsession with detail is used to achieve surface finishes that go beyond Haute Horlogerie standards. The fact that Calibre 2757 comprises 696 parts explains not only the technical complexity of the complications but also the tremendous amount of work required for the decorative finishes. This is an aspect of watchmaking in which Vacheron Constantin never compromises.
Read more about the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Temporis Duo Grand Complication Openface here.
Founded in 1755, Vacheron Constantin is the world’s oldest watch Manufacture in continuous production for 270 years, faithfully perpetuating a proud heritage of watchmaking excellence and stylistic sophistication through generations of master craftsmen.
At the pinnacle of Haute Horlogerie and understated elegance, the Maison creates timepieces with unique technical and aesthetic signatures, and an extremely high level of finishing touches.
Vacheron Constantin brings to life unparalleled heritage and a spirit of innovation through its collections: Patrimony, Traditionnelle, Métiers d’Art, Overseas, Fiftysix, Historiques and Égérie. It also offers its discerning clientele of connoisseurs the rare opportunity to acquire vintage pieces within the Les Collectionneurs assortment, as well as unique and bespoke timepieces by means of its Les Cabinotiers department.