Vacheron Constantin unveils pocket watch incorporating Les Cabinotiers technology

Vacheron Constantin's unique pieces department, Les Cabinotiers, has created a special pocket watch that embodies the client's wishes: a magnificent work of art featuring a grand sonnerie that chimes the Westminster cathedral and a tourbillon.

A unique piece dedicated to one owner

　Vacheron Constantin has unveiled a new product that will be the highlight of 2021. The newly announced "Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie - Homage to Johannes Vermeer" was created by "Les Cabinotiers," a special department dedicated to creating complications and unique pieces according to client requests.

　The watchmakers at Les Cabinotiers took on the challenge of making the dream of an avid watch collector a reality: the person who commissioned this piece wanted a pocket watch that excelled in both watchmaking technique and aesthetic design, reflecting the traditional elements of noble 18th-century watchmaking.

　The project, which began in 2013 and took approximately eight years to complete, "Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie - Homage to Johannes Vermeer," met the client's high expectations of "a passion for constantly pursuing what is theoretically impossible to obtain." Filled with new challenges, resulting research results, and constant exchange of ideas, the piece is a masterpiece of haute horlogerie.

3761

　The Caliber 3761 featured in this watch is a newly developed, extremely complex hand-wound movement comprised of 806 individual parts. Regulated by a tourbillon that rotates once per minute at a low beat of 18,000 vibrations per hour, it combines a grande sonnerie with a petite sonnerie and a minute repeater. Developed by the same team of watchmakers who worked on Reference 57260, the most complicated pocket watch ever made, released by Vacheron Constantin in 2015, it also required the musicality of playing the Westminster chimes.

The client's wishes were perfectly reflected: "I had long dreamed of adding to my collection a genuine Westminster chime pocket watch, with a grande and petite sonnerie, decorated with miniature enamel and five gongs struck by five hammers."

　It can be switched between "Petite Sonnerie" mode, which strikes the hours and quarters every hour but does not strike the hours at 15, 30, and 45 minutes, and "Sonnerie" mode, which automatically strikes the hours at 15, 30, and 45 minutes, just like a clock.In either case, the carillon sounds to announce the hours.

　This game also has a special feature called "Night Silence Mode," which prevents the chime from ringing between 11 PM and 9 AM, as set by the client. This allows the client to spend the night quietly and also helps save energy. In addition, "Silence" mode can disable all chime functions.

　Not only are the functions it offers outstanding, but the finishing touches down to the finest details are also outstanding. Every part is hand-finished, with lavish decorations that are stunningly beautiful, including the balance cock with engraved plant designs, bridges polished to a mirror finish with diamond paste and buffing, and plates with Côtes de Genève and galvanic treatment.

"Girl with a Pearl Necklace" by Anita Porcher

　From the beginning of the project to create this watch, the client wanted to have the enamel artist Anita Porcher paint a miniature enamel on the officer-type case back. The canvas that fits into the 98mm diameter case is Johannes Vermeer's masterpiece, "Girl with a Pearl Necklace," completed around 1665.

　Compared to a regular wristwatch, this pocket watch is large, making it extremely difficult to paint in detail. The size of the watch makes even the slightest difference stand out, requiring even more precise and dexterous technique. The difficulty of this work can be seen from the fact that it took at least two weeks to paint just one layer of enamel on the girl's turban.

Engraving that becomes a frame for a painting

　The style of engraving on the 18K yellow gold officer's case was carefully studied by Vacheron Constantin's engravers to harmonize with Vermeer's painting. After multiple discussions with the client, the engraving features a spiral of acanthus leaves and a flower with a pearl-like center. This classical and feminine decoration perfectly complements "Girl with a Pearl Necklace."

　The three-dimensional engraving begins with tracing the outline of the decorative motif on the surface of the case with a marking needle. After the rough design is drawn, the area around the motif is carved flat and a carving knife called a burin is used to create the three-dimensional shape. The use of mirrored and matte textures makes the motif stand out even more and emphasizes the shadows.