Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers department and its complement of master craftspeople never fails to be ambitious. The theme this year is ‘Les Royaumes Aquatiques’ (in English: ‘The Aquatic Kingdoms’), dedicated to the mysterious, tumultuous undersea depths that have inspired entire histories of myth and legend.
But real life is often inspiration enough. The less complicated of the two one-offs showcased this year is the Les Cabinotiers Grisaille – Turtle, and it is dedicated to the sea turtle. An ancient creature, the sea turtle is seen as a symbol of luck and longevity, and a frequent actor in fables and folklore. An iconic marine animal that can be well over 100kg, more than a metre across, and approach 100 years of age, it is also sadly an endangered species.
The watch features a classically proportioned 40mm case in white gold with an equally classical three-hand layout. The dial holds no numerals or markers, and is instead devoted to its art. The scene is a simple one – that of a turtle laying on the ocean floor, surrounded by coral – but the depth to the details and rich, contrasting hues are eye-catching on their own.
The technique here is that of miniature enamel painting, using hand-made, self-mixed pigments that are carefully considered so subsequent firings do not bring it to an unwanted shade. The shadows are done first, in black and blue, and then purple for the outlines of the main forms. The grisaille technique, which involves overlaying white enamel over darker layers, is then used for the lit portions. The entire process required 18 firings and 120 hours of work.
The second piece depicts the Flying Dutchman, a sailing legend dating back to the 17th century that tells of a cursed ship doomed never to make port. The scene, similarly brought to life with miniature painting and grisaille enamel, is a dynamic one with a violent sea and moody, lightning-lit sky. Grisaille was used to particularly good effect on the ghostly ship, while the 45mm diameter of the white gold case offers that much more canvas to work with. The Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon – Flying Dutchman is also a showcase of Vacheron Constantin’s movement making: the manually would Calibre 2755 TMR sports both a tourbillon and a minute repeater; despite its complexity, the watch remains a reasonable 13.5mm in thickness.
