Vacheron Constantin’s latest ladies’ collection is a continuation of an old tradition for the 265-year-old watchmaker, which has been creating lavishly decorated and fashionable women’s timepieces since the turn of the 18th century. The new Egerie collection draws inspiration from this history, as well the distinctly feminine art of haute couture. The latter is particularly evident in the silvered opaline dial which bears a pleated pattern reminiscent of ruffled fabric. This is accomplished through the historical ‘tapestry’ technique, a guilloche-type operation wherein the craftsperson works with a pantograph machine that dates back to 1904. The result as seen in the Egerie collection took months of testing to perfect.
There are two formats to the Egerie—a 35mm diameter time-and-date expression, the more restrained of the two, and the more whimsical 37mm moonphase offering that includes a solid gold moon and mother-of-pearl clouds. The broader design elements are similar, including pebble-shaped case, sewing needle-inspired hands, layout consisting of off-centred concentric circles with the complication indicator between 1 and 2 o’clock, and a bezel set with 58 diamonds with a further 34 or 36 set around the respective complication. Also at the 1:30 position is the crown, which is topped by a cabochon-cut moonstone: a lustrous and serene highlight. This diagonal arrangement of elements—which includes the logo at the bottom-left of the dial—lends a slight lilt to an otherwise dignified watch and somewhat recalls celestial orbits. Both are supremely elegant on the wrist, with the moonphase being the slightly bulkier of the two at a still svelte 10mm thick. The 40-hour self-winding movements within each watch are visible through the display caseback, showing off the immaculate Cotes de Geneve finishing, and sport solid gold oscillating weights fashioned after the maison’s signature Maltese cross.
Each execution is available in stainless steel with a bracelet, or pink gold with three differently coloured leather straps that can be easily swapped by the user. There is also a fully diamond-paved moonphase option, for those looking for a little more opulent sparkle; this comes with a white gold case bearing 292 diamonds, with a further 510 on the dial and one rose-cut for the crown—a total of 5.02 carats in all.
