When a miniature figure doubles as the hands of a watch, telling time takes on an entirely new dimension— Vacheron Constantin’s latest timepiece showcases a clever twist on retrograde displays
It’s tough to surprise anyone when you’ve spent 270 years perfecting your craft. Vacheron Constantin’s Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time doesn’t show off, but it certainly rewards those who pay close attention. This limited edition of 20 pieces brings a fresh spin on a classic complication wrapped in layers of history, mechanics and a surprisingly human touch.
At the core is the new calibre 3670, hand wound and packed with 512 components. The real star, though, is the dial’s centrepiece: a three-dimensional titanium figure whose arms act as hour and minute hands. Inspired by a 1930 pocket watch dubbed “Bras en l’Air” (arms in the air), the figure can tell time continuously or stay idle until you press a pusher at ten o’clock, at which point, it lifts its arms to show the time and lowers them again when done. Getting the retrograde jumps perfectly synced is no picnic, but the maison’s engineers got their way around this challenge by using a governor reminiscent of those found in minute repeaters.
Assembling the watch (Photo: courtesy of Vacheron Constantin)
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The figure rests on a double-layered sapphire dial that depicts the night sky over Geneva as it was on September 17, 1755, the exact day the maison was born.
The figure by Vacheron Constantin rests on a double-layered sapphire dial that depicts the night sky over Geneva as it was on September 17, 1755, the exact day the maison was born. The star map was created with the help of astronomers at Geneva Observatory, ensuring every constellation sits exactly where it should. Complementing this celestial backdrop is a sculpted titanium moon phase, accurate enough to only need adjustment every 122 years and a double retrograde power reserve display showing six days of power across two arcs.
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