Vacheron Constantin unveils its latest masterpiece: the Métiers d’Art – Tribute to the Quest of Time, a limited edition of just 20 pieces. This extraordinary creation unites centuries of tradition with forward-thinking innovation, encapsulating the Maison’s perpetual pursuit of excellence.
“The Métiers d’Art collection, as its name suggests, is a canvas for the Maison’s savoir-faire in the age-old artistic crafts, standing as an exploration through time and civilisations,” explains Sandrine Donguy, Product & Innovation Director at Vacheron Constantin. “There was a strong desire to introduce an innovative complication into the collection. In terms of creativity, this watch is a singular blend of technical achievement (with four patent applications as evidence) and artistic expression.”
At its heart beats the new Calibre 3670, a manually wound Manufacture movement conceived over three years of development. Comprising 512 components and protected by four patent applications, this calibre is not merely a technical feat of miniaturisation, but a reimagining of horological artistry. The watch presents time as an animated tableau. On the front dial, a sculpted human figure extends its arms in a double retrograde display, offering two modes of timekeeping: continuous or on demand. Behind this figure, the sky opens to reveal the constellations as they appeared above Geneva on 17 September 1755, the date of Vacheron Constantin’s founding. The scene is enriched with a three-dimensional moon phase indication and a double retrograde power reserve, merging technical virtuosity with poetic expression.
“While it is directly inspired by and pays homage to the automaton incorporated into the La Quête du Temps clock – in both its humanoid form and the use of its arms to indicate the time – the figure on the watch is not an automaton,” said Donguy. ‘Its arms are an aesthetic substitute for traditional hands and Calibre 3670 enables the time to be displayed in two ways – on demand and continuously running. An automaton, on the other hand, operates on demand and in a pre-programmed sequence of movements and La Quête du Temps has fully incorporated an automaton into a clock as a functioning element of the timekeeping mechanism.”
Turning the watch reveals its second dial: a celestial chart in perpetual motion. This star-studded expanse tracks constellations in real time, with an accuracy so precise that its sidereal display will vary by only one day in 9,130 years. Encased in 43mm of white gold, the Métiers d’Art – Tribute to the Quest of Time is both an artistic statement and a mechanical tour de force. It pays homage to the legendary astronomical clock La Quête du Temps, itself a tribute to the mysteries of the cosmos and the passage of time. With its fusion of traditional Métiers d’Art crafts and contemporary decorative innovation, it embodies Vacheron Constantin’s timeless vision: to transform the measurement of time into an enduring work of art.
For more information, visit vacheron-constantin.com.
