Vacheron Constantin celebrates the brand's birthplace with a collaboration between arts and mechanical art

The latest Les Cabinotiers collection is themed "Travelogue," paying homage to the places and cultures associated with the Maison's history, while also showcasing the current state of its unique watchmaking and decorative techniques, which it continues to inherit and refine.

A unique piece with the theme of "Reci de Voyage (Travel Journal)"

　Les Cabinotiers are unique pieces created by Atelier Cabinotier, a specialized department established within Vacheron Constantin. This department is primarily responsible for custom-made pieces for special clients, which differ from regular models. Each piece is made unique, and 70% of them are private pieces that are never made public. The remaining 30% are made public, revealing some of the unique techniques and traditional decorative techniques used, thereby connecting them to the next generation and serving as a showcase for new creations.

　This was an unprecedented vintage year, with a whopping nine new pieces released. The reason for this may be the uniqueness of a collection with no development period, and the timing of the releases may have coincided with the impact of the global pandemic. But more than that, it may be due to the grand theme and story of the "La Récie du Voyage" (Travelogue), which traces the Maison's adventures and challenges as it traveled the world in search of new sales channels in the early 19th century. Here are three pieces that particularly caught our eye.

　As its subtitle suggests, the "Armilari Tourbillon - A Tribute to Art Deco Style" on the right page is themed around Art Deco, a style that spread from Europe to America in the early 20th century and developed independently, and is inspired by the designs that adorned the skyscrapers of New York. New York was the city where the company first established its base in 1832, and served as a key gateway for the US and the Brazilian and Mexican markets. Furthermore, the prosperity and abundance of the Roaring Twenties brought free thinking and creativity to the world of traditional luxury watches.

　On either side of the dial are a wide-angle 180-degree instantaneous double retrograde hour and minute display and a two-axis tourbillon with a cylindrical balance spring. It is powered by the Caliber 1990, which has been granted four patents. This movement incorporates the technology of the Caliber 3750 used in the Reference 57260, which was released in 2015 and is said to be the most complicated watch in the world with 57 complications. It is an exclusive movement used only by Les Cabinotiers.

Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon – A Tribute to Art Deco Style –
This watch combines a minute repeater striking the quarters and minutes with a tourbillon. The dial combines wood marquetry and champlevé techniques for the first time for the brand, and the minute track is gem-set. Manual winding (Cal. 2755 TMR). 40 jewels. 18,000 vph. Power reserve approximately 58 hours. 18KPG case (44mm diameter, 13.5mm thick). Unique piece.

Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon – A Tribute to the Arabesque Style –
The entire grained matte black dial is covered with an 18KWG cover featuring latticework openwork. This engraving took a month to complete. The bezel, case, and lugs are also hand-engraved in the Arabic style. Manual winding (Cal. 2755 TMR). 40 jewels. 18,000 vph. Power reserve approximately 58 hours. 18KWG case (diameter 44mm, thickness 13.5mm). Unique piece.

The Minute Repeater Tourbillon combines two distinct decorative arts with a common mechanism. While the aforementioned Art Deco motif is combined with wood marquetry and champlevé techniques, the opulent arabesques and floral patterns of Islamic mosques are contrasted by the use of engraving. The Maison established commercial relations with Turkey in 1817, coming into contact with Ottoman culture, and in 1865 began exchanges with Egypt, resulting in the creation of historic masterpieces. The latter symbolizes the Maison's deep understanding of Arab culture and its strong ties with the Middle East.

　The Cal. 2755 TMR movement incorporates technology derived from the Tour de l'Île, which was produced in 2005 to commemorate the company's 250th anniversary and featured 16 complications. In addition to the two major complications, the movement is highly expandable and has previously been combined with perpetual calendars and sky charts, making it an in-house movement that combines precision and reliability.

　The journeys of our ancestors, the encounters and discoveries they made in each place, and the history of the Maison's prosperity are expressed through the ever-evolving Métiers d'Art and outstanding watchmaking techniques.It is worthy of being called the art of watchmaking that transcends time and space.