Vacheron Constantin at the watchmaking Olympus. This is his titanium man

Vacheron Constantin, alongside Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, is the so-called "Holy Trinity of Swiss watchmaking." However, the popular "Patek" and "AP" don't have to fight for this nickname. Meanwhile, Vacheron Constantin , somewhat overshadowed by these two, has done much in recent years to belong to the podium and excite thousands of collectors worldwide.

Now - on the occasion of its 270th birthday , Vacheron Constantin has decided to remind the world of its watchmaking craftsmanship.

Szwajcarski zegarmistrz przygotował dwie skrajnie różne premiery, choć łączy je wspólny motyw – metaforyczne poszukiwanie (utraconego?) czasu.

Vacheron Constantin presents La Quête du Temps at the Louvre / press materials

Vacheron Constantin presents La Quête du Temps at the Louvre

The first new addition is La Quête du Temps ("The Search for Time") – a mechanical work of art, not just watchmaking, as evidenced by its premiere exhibition at the Louvre (during the recently opened "Mecaniques d'Art" exhibition). This massive and complex table clock, over 50 cm in diameter, combines 25 complications, including a perpetual calendar, astronomical readings, and the playback of specially composed music.

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Quest of Time / press materials

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art "Tribute to the Quest of Time" - titanium man on dial

However, it is only the second proposition from the Swiss manufacturer that allows collectors to ignite the imagination of having a true work of haute horlogerie on their own wrist.

The Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Quest of Time model was created as a tribute to the monumental timepiece exhibited in Paris. The 18-karat white gold case is quite compact considering the sophistication of the movement – ​​43 mm wide and 13.58 mm thick.

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Quest of Time / press materials

The watch dial focuses on a three-dimensional figure, made of titanium with a 3N gold coating that has been hand-sandblasted to achieve a patina effect.

The figure functions as a dual retrograde display, showing hours on the left and minutes on the right. This means the hands move in an arc, showing hours and minutes, and upon reaching the end of the scale, they quickly return to their starting point instead of the traditional full circle. The inspiration for the human figure came from the 1930s "Bras en l'Air" pocket watch, which displayed the time only on demand.

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Quest of Time / press materials

The watch's dial, crafted from two layers of sapphire crystal , holds a secret. On the underside of the upper crystal, a blue gradient effect provides a backdrop for star constellations. It's worth emphasizing that this isn't just a symbolic astronomical motif, like the one featured on Omega's Constellation cases, but an actual representation of the constellation visible over Geneva on the day the manufacturer was founded in 1755. The watch's style can be described as a reinterpretation of Art Deco motifs, reminiscent of the aesthetics of pre-war Hollywood hotels and their metropolitan chic.

But that's not the end of the astronomical references. On the reverse of the watch, a set of sapphire dials displays a sidereal day (the time it takes the Earth to complete a full rotation on its axis relative to the stars, not the Sun; approximately 4 minutes less than a typical day) on a celestial map. This is especially important in "astronomical" watches, as a sidereal day allows for the reproduction of the actual movement of the sky and the position of the stars as we see them at night, whereas a typical day refers only to the position of the Sun. As if that weren't enough, the precision of Vacheron's latest design is truly impressive – the watch tracks the constellations with an accuracy of one day's deviation over a period of… 9,130 ​​years!

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Quest of Time / press materials