Starstruck: Vacheron Constantin’s New Zodiac Collection Puts Artistic Craft at the Center of the Universe
Twelve new watches representing the twelve astrological signs shimmer like the night sky, thanks to guilloché and gem-setting.
By Cait Bazemore
Contributor
Astrology relies heavily on the precise measurement of time to understand celestial influences. As such, many watchmakers have found themselves drawn to the zodiac for inspiration, with timekeepers referencing the 12 astrological signs dating back to the era of pocket watches.
Just as we no longer need watches as tools, we no longer need to look to the stars to guide us. Yet, from Van Cleef & Arpels to De Bethune to Patek Philippe, celestial collections dedicated to the zodiac continue to be a muse in the art of watchmaking among major Maisons.
Today, we get Vacheron Constantin’s take on the 12 astrological signs in its Métiers d’Art Tribute series. Let’s take a look.
A Dozen Dials
For those who did not write the horoscopes for their school newspaper back in the day, like yours truly, each zodiac sign corresponds to a specific constellation and the dates when the Sun appears to enter and exit these constellations. Thus, we get 12 signs associated with 12 month-long periods throughout the year and 12 unique sources of inspiration for a collection of watches.
For Vacheron Constantin, leaning into its rich history of artistic craft to interpret these celestial designs was a no-brainer. However, for the Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Celestial series, the Maison’s work pushes the bounds of classical guilloché methods to create a unique and modern representation of the zodiac.
For this Tribute series, the brand’s master guilloché artist developed a technique of figurative guilloché drawing to go beyond the abstract patterns of traditional guilloché. This innovative technique utilizes a multitude of hand-guilloché triangles that are formed using densely packed straight lines, with each triangle set at a different angle from its neighbors.
Fun Fact: To create just one zodiac sign using this technique required great dexterity and precision, with approximately 16 hours of intense and conscientious work.
Along with the guilloché, the four zodiac symbols representing human figures (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Aquarius) feature opaline details. Moreover, accompanying all of the hand-guilloché renderings of the zodiac signs is an overlay of its corresponding constellation with the principal stars represented by brilliant-cut diamonds.
The gem-setting extends to the bezel, crown, lugs, and buckle thanks to a total of 96 baguette-cut blue sapphires (~3.87 carats). The choice of a channel-setting for the bezel (where the stones are held between two parallel tracks with no metal separating them) gives the impression that the sapphires are floating, creating an uninterrupted circle for perfect harmony.
Altogether, the gem-setting work required an additional 27 hours of labor and love.
Starstruck from the Inside Out
In line with the philosophy that form and function are equally meritorious, each of the new Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Celestial series houses the Maison’s ultra-thin Calibre 2160 self-winding tourbillon movement, measuring just 5.65mm thick.
This movement displays the standard hours and minutes as well as small seconds indicated by the Maltese Cross-shaped tourbillon cage tucked at 6 o’clock beneath the stars.
Pricing & Availability
The Métiers d’Art Tribute to The Celestial series is available today in a limited production of each of the 12 pieces, with pricing available upon request. For more information, visit the Vacheron Constantin website.