Why this is Vacheron Constantin’s most poetic ode to its 270 year old craft
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: Vacheron Constantin)
The caseback tracks constellations (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
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.
Flip the watch over, and the sapphire crystal caseback reveals a sidereal time chart that tracks the constellations in real time—off by just one day over 9,130 years. The case is a well-measured 43mm in white gold, 13.58mm thick, carrying all that complexity without fuss or bulk. The dark blue alligator strap with gold stitching completes the look. The finishing passes the Poinçon de Genève certification, meaning every component, visible or not, has been hand-finished to exacting standards.
A sketch of the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time (Photo: Vacheron Constantin)
Tatler GMT’s take is that this watch invites curiosity, rewards knowledge and reveals more with every casual glance. It’s a homage to Vacheron Constantin’s past while showcasing mechanical feats that resonate with the present.