Vacheron Constantin amazes us again with new magnificent pieces in the Les Cabinotiers Collection. Just a while ago, I was presenting the press releases for the Traditionnelle, Blue for Bucherer and the Pre-SIHH2019 Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Phoenix. The Mécaniques Sauvages is combined of expertise of Grand Complications with the mastery of Artistic Crafts. Read the full press release below.
Vacheron Constantin has just unveiled an exclusive assortment of one-of-a-kind models created by its Les Cabinotiers department. The power of the majestic wild animals adorning the dials and cases reflects the potency the stunning work involved in associating the watchmaking expertise of Grand Complications with the mastery of Artistic Crafts. The strength of a bird of prey or a reptile, and the panache of a feline convey the values of the Maison: tradition and innovation, craftsmanship, hand finishing, extreme care for details, as well as elegance. Through this eloquent mode of expression in which it excels, Vacheron Constantin reinterprets each animal family, from Savannah to jungle, earth to sky, myth to reality. A universe that will naturally inspire the bespoke orders that are the essence of Les Cabinotiers.
Les Cabinotiers stands for one-of-a-kind bespoke technical, aesthetic and artistic challenges.
Across three centuries, Vacheron Constantin has been perpetuating the tradition of “Les Cabinotiers”, the name given to the prestigious and cultivated watchmakers who exercised their art in light-filled workshops located on the top floors of Geneva buildings. Exceptional bespoke timepieces were devised at the time, brimming with a rare degree of technical and aesthetic complexity, inspired by astronomy, science and art.
Today, Vacheron Constantin continues to take up these highly technical and incredibly creative challenges through offering its customers one-of-a-kind models, as well as specially commissioned bespoke watches. Engineers, designers, master watchmakers and artisans combine their imagination, their expertise and their passion in giving life to this embodiment of horological expertise and extreme refinement. Humming to the beat of a minute repeater or an armillary tourbillon, and embellished with enamelling and engraving, “Mécaniques Sauvages” spring to vibrant life, gaze sharpened and instinct heightened, ready to leap into action.
LES CABINOTIERS 2755 EAGLE: the strength of a bird of prey springs to life through engraving
Horological expertise takes the form of seven complications, including a rare type of minute repeater equipped with a centripetal system enabling both effective sound diffusion and a 55-hour power reserve. Intaglio fine line and pounced ornament engraving techniques bring depth and light to this creation. Mastering these techniques requires at least ten years of experience. They vividly highlight the determination, courage and strength of the eagle, whose visual acuity is reproduced in its piercing gaze.
LES CABINOTIERS ARMILLARY TOURBILLON SNAKE: Six patents for an exceptional technological innovation, teamed with the instinct of a three-dimensional reptile
Six patents have been filed for this exceptional timepiece equipped with a double retrograde armillary tourbillon, derived from the Reference 57260 watch with its 57 complications. High-tech materials such as silicon for the pallet-lever and escape-wheel, as well as aluminium for the tourbillon carriage, further enhance the precision and durability of this timepiece and lend a light touch. The patience of the engraving artisans and their love of fine workmanship are clearly apparent in the engraving work on the snake surrounding the caseband. The Maison’s signature hand finishes have served to craft the model, highlighting the matt and brilliant surfaces punctuating the dial, giving life to the scales of the animal. The art of suggestion is extremely subtle, since the precision of the visible portion enables the observer to imagine the reptile in its entirety.
LES CABINOTIERS 14-DAY TOURBILLON LION: Feline panache and the flamboyance of Grand Feu enamel
In this majestic model, the harmonious centrally aligned dial composition echoes the serenity radiating from the lion calmly surveying his surroundings. The fine strokes enable a realistic portrayal of the scene. The horological power of this model – featuring a Maltese cross-shaped tourbillon as well as a 14-day power reserve – evokes that of the noble beast it depicts, by conveying a sense of both strength and endurance. This technical combination is matched by a particularly tricky combination of skills: the case is engraved, while the dial is coated with grisaille enamel. This technique consists in coating the gold plate with a uniform dark brown layer and, after firing in the kiln, in applying an extremely rare type of white Grand Feu enamel known as “Blanc de Limoges”, in order to endow the material with subtle shades of grey, brown and white, as well as creating shading effects. The spectacular work of the master enameller is a fascinating invitation to contemplate this masterly animal.
LES CABINOTIERS MYSTERIOUS ANIMALS TIGER: Fine line engraving on an inventive dial depicting a tiger in the wild
This exotic and inventive expression of time is equipped with a 2460 G4 calibre driving four displays appearing through four apertures. The hours, minutes, day and date are arranged around the dial periphery so as to give pride of place to Artistic Crafts. Jungle animals lend themselves to this daring composition, with a tiger emerging from a bamboo forest and appearing at the centre of the dial that is entirely hand-engraved with an infinite sense of detail. The ancestral technique of fine line engraving requires at least five years of experience to master its incredible finesse, with this intaglio-type sculpting of the material highlighting every strikingly realistic detail. The animal merges naturally into the surrounding plantlife of the jungle decor. This creation stages a remarkable balance between the strength of these divine messengers – whether symbolising family protection or happiness – and the foliage through which it roams wild and free.
LES CABINOTIERS GRISAILLE FALCON: A falcon to tame time
The power and grace of the falcon, king of birds, inspired the decoration in Grand Feu grisaille enamel “Blanc de Limoges” adorning the dials of this extraordinary model. Expertise and rigorous discipline are once again the watchwords in mastering this art, since firing between 800° and 900°C proves extremely delicate given the risk of burning the dial. The deft touch of the master enameller endows this animal with a visually striking bearing, posture and expression. The effect is even more apparent on these more sharply defined black and white dials crafted using his expertise. This model is driven by an extremely reliable self-winding movement, equipped with a stop-seconds device bringing the seconds hand to a halt so as to enable more accurate adjustment, as well as enjoying greater longevity thanks to the ceramic ball bearings on the oscillating weight.
TECHNICAL DATA LES CABINOTIERS CALIBRE 2755 EAGLE
REFERENCE 6510C/000R-B418
Hallmark of Geneva
CALIBRE 2755 – Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin – Mechanical, manual-winding
33.9 mm diameter, 7.9 mm thick – Approximately 48 hours of power reserve
2.5Hz (18,000 vibrations/hour) – 602 components – 40 jewels
INDICATIONS Hours, minutes
Small second at 6 o’clock on tourbillon carriage
7 complications:
1. Minute repeater
2. Tourbillon
3.6 Perpetual calendar (date, day of the week, month, leap year)
7. Power reserve
SETTING Hours and minutes adjustment: winding crown (2 positions)
Perpetual calendar adjustment: two correction push-pieces on the case
CASE 18K 5N pink gold with case-band hand-engraved with “Eagle” sculpture
45 mm diameter, 13.54 mm thick
DIAL Blue guilloché dial
18K 5N pink gold applied hour-markers
18K 5N pink gold hands
STRAP Dark brown Mississippiensis alligator leather, hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square scales
BUCKLE 18K 5N pink gold folding clasp
Polished half Maltese cross-shaped
BOX Prestige winder box made of Makassar ebony wood
ACCESSORIES Delivered with a corrector pen, a magnifying glass
Unique timepiece
« Les Cabinotiers », « Pièce unique », « AC » hallmark engraved on caseback
TECHNICAL DATA LES CABINOTIERS ARMILLARY TOURBILLON SNAKE
REFERENCE 9810C/000R-B369
Hallmark of Geneva
CALIBRE 1990
Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, manual-winding
35.5 mm diameter, 12.15 mm thick
Approximately 65 hours of power reserve
2.5Hz (18,000 vibrations/hour)
299 components
45 jewels
INDICATIONS Retrograde hours and minutes
Armillary Tourbillon
SETTING Hours and minutes adjustment: winding crown (2 positions)
CASE 18K 5N pink gold with case-band hand-engraved with “Snake” sculpture
45 mm diameter, 20.12 mm thick
DIAL Slate-grey dial
18K 4N pink gold applied hour-markers
Titanium hands
STRAP Dark brown Mississippiensis alligator leather, hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square scales
BUCKLE 18K 5N pink gold buckle
Polished half Maltese cross-shaped
BOX Luxury box made of Makassar ebony wood
Unique timepiece
« Les Cabinotiers », « Pièce unique », « AC » hallmark engraved on caseback
TECHNICAL DATA LES CABINOTIERS 14-DAY TOURBILLON LION
REFERENCE 6000C/000R-B517
Hallmark of Geneva
CALIBRE 2260
Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, manual-winding
29.1 mm diameter, 6.8 mm thick
Approximately 336 hours of power reserve
2.5Hz (18,000 vibrations/hour)
231 components
31 jewels
INDICATIONS Hours, minutes
Small second at 6 o’clock on tourbillon carriage
Tourbillon
Power reserve
SETTING Hours and minutes adjustment: winding crown (2 positions)
CASE 18K 5N pink gold case hand-engraved with an ornamental pattern on case band and bezel
42 mm diameter, 12.97 mm thick
DIAL 18K gold covered with “Grand Feu” translucent and grisaille enamelling representing a “Lion”
18K 5N pink gold hands
STRAP Dark brown Mississippiensis alligator leather, hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square scales
BUCKLE 18K 5N pink gold buckle hand-engraved with an ornamental pattern
Half Maltese cross-shaped
BOX Luxury box made of Makassar ebony wood
ACCESSORIES Delivered with a magnifying glass
Unique timepiece
« Les Cabinotiers », « Pièce unique », « AC » hallmark engraved on caseback
TECHNICAL DATA LES CABINOTIERS MYSTERIOUS ANIMALS TIGER
REFERENCE 86073/000P-B469
Hallmark of Geneva
CALIBRE 2460 G4
Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, automatic-winding
31 mm diameter, 6.05 mm thick
Approximately 40 hours of power reserve
4Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
237 components
27 jewels
INDICATIONS Hours, minutes, day of the week (in English) and date in apertures
SETTING Hours, minutes, day and date adjustment: correction push-piece on the case
CASE 950 platinum case
40 mm diameter, 12.4 mm thick
DIAL 18K yellow gold hand-engraved “bamboos” and 18K white gold hand-engraved “Tiger”
STRAP Black Mississippiensis alligator leather, hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square scales
BUCKLE 950 platinum buckle
Polished half Maltese cross-shaped
BOX Luxury box made of Makassar ebony wood
ACCESSORIES Delivered with a corrector pen and a magnifying glass
Unique timepiece
« Les Cabinotiers », « Pièce unique », « AC » hallmark engraved on caseback
TECHNICAL DATA LES CABINOTIERS GRISAILLE FALCON
REFERENCE 86090/000G-B540
Hallmark of Geneva
CALIBRE 2460 SC
Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, automatic-winding
26.2 mm diameter, 3.6 mm thick
Approximately 40 hours of power reserve
4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
182 components
27 jewels
INDICATIONS Hours, minutes, central second
SETTING Hours and minutes adjustment: winding crown (2 positions)
CASE 18K white gold
40 mm diameter, 9.2 mm thick
DIAL 18K gold covered with “Grand Feu” translucent and grisaille enamelling representing
a “Falcon”
18K white gold hands
STRAP Dark brown Mississippiensis alligator leather, hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square scales
BUCKLE 18K white gold buckle
Polished half Maltese cross-shaped
BOX Luxury box made of Makassar ebony wood
Unique timepiece
« Les Cabinotiers », « Pièce unique », « AC » hallmark engraved on caseback
