Unless you live on another planet, you probably know that Vacheron Constantin is celebrating its 270th anniversary this year. We expected great things from the illustrious Manufacture whose motto, “Do better if possible, and that is always possible,” is taken from François Constantin’s July 5th letter to Jacques Barthélemi Vacheron in 1819. Reality went far beyond our expectations, whether in the form of outstanding timepieces to mark the achievement or of exceptional moments lost in time and space, culminating in a whirlwind 3 days of masterpieces and festivities in Paris and Geneva. And if the showstopper was the astronomical clock “La Quête du Temps” and its automaton Astronomer, many other stars paved the path along the way.
Exceptional Anniversary Timepieces
Among the new timepieces introduced this year was the eagerly awaited steel version of the Historiques 222 decorated with the brand’s emblem – the Maltese cross, at 5 o’clock on the case.
Parallel to this, specially developed commemorative anniversary pieces, distinguished by precious metals of gold or platinum and a patterned dial decorated with a Maltese Cross-inspired motif, were presented at Watches & Wonders. Among them were four new Limited Editions from the Patrimony and Traditionnelle collections, each edited in 2 variants, accompanied by three Traditionnelle Limited Editions in platinum cases with retrograde displays on contemporary “Openface” dials. The tourbillon model was topped with a Maltese cross bridge, as was the tourbillon of the 42 mm Traditionnelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, edited in 127 pieces. Entirely sculpted in 950 platinum, it houses a new self-winding tourbillon caliber with a perpetual calendar.
From the Vacheron Constantin workshop Les Cabinotiers, dedicated to the mastery of technical and aesthetic developments towards the creation of bespoke and one-of-a-kind pieces, three richly decorated dials enhanced with guilloché, miniature painting, Grand Feu enamelling, and engraving pay tribute to the Tour de l’Ile de Genève. This small landmark island in the middle of the Rhône River once housed a fortress to defend the city; it is also where Vacheron Constantin set up workshops in 1843.
Les Cabinotiers Tribute to La Tour de l'Île
As if all of this was not enough, also from Les Cabinotiers was the Solaria Ultra Grand Complication La Première, highlighting the Maison’s quest to understand and interpret with excellence and precision the time that passes, whether on our Earth or in the skies. With 41 complications including 5 rare astronomical functions, a Westminster minute repeater and 13 applied-for patents, all in a modern design and wearable size of 45 mm by 14.99 mm thick, it is the most complicated wristwatch ever created. It took 8 years to develop. But little did we know what would follow….
Paris, Geneva and the significance of September 17
“Would I be available to celebrate the 270th Anniversary of Vacheron Constantin from September 15 – 18?” requested the invitation. Without hesitation, I of course marked the dates in my diary and waited for the details that would outline 3 unforgettable days of celebration.
Monday September 15: the Philanthro-Lab
During all my years in Paris, I had never visited what is now the Philanthro-Lab, where a welcome cocktail took place. Two steps away from Notre Dame, the building that dates back to the 15th century was a stunning venue to meet and mingle with the Vacheron Constantin team and journalists from all over the world. A co-working space since 2021 with a renovated reception area of over 300 square meters on the ground floor, it is now devoted to the support and growth of more than 150 non-profit organizations—a perfect example of the quality of the events that were organized for us, starting with the sites—as exceptional as the creativity we were to discover during those 3 magic days.
I was already extremely impressed and looking forward to our presentation the following morning at the Musée du Louvre.
Tuesday September 16: the Louvre Paris
The reveal … The Louvre shares an artistic and cultural partnership with Vacheron Constantin, and it was there, on the morning of September 16, amid a hushed silence, that the astronomical clock La Quête du Temps was unveiled. Exhibited as the centrepiece of the Louvre’s “Méchaniques d’Art” exhibition, it remains there for public viewing until November 12, 2025 along with 10 notable historic clocks and automatons, mostly from the 17th century but also fragments of Egyptian water clocks from 305-330 BC that are all part of the museum’s permanent collection.
The exceptional … Much has been written about La Quête du Temps, Mécanique d’Art, a «Masterpiece Beyond Watchmaking”, the result of a collaborative team of virtuosos in their domains of watchmaking, automaton making, music making, mineral and stone finding and métiers d’art. Here are some key elements: 7 years of development, 6,293 mechanical components (including 2,370 for the clock), 1,020 components for the decoration, 7 watchmaking patent applications filed, and 23 watchmaking complications. Assembled in a three-part architecture more than a metre high, its structure consists of a dome, a central astronomical clock and the base, blending horological expertise with decorative craftsmanship and the ingenuity of automatons.
Humanly graceful … Here, an automaton-Astronomer is conceived as a functioning horological complication that, within its decorated glass dome at the top of the structure, is actioned in 3 graceful almost “human” sequences accompanied by 3 different sounds for each. The first two sequences are the same for each activation, with the automaton’s arms presenting with elegance and precision night and day at its feet and the above path of the moon in the sky. In the 3rd sequence however, when the arms indicate the hours and minutes, the gestures are noticeably different each time, a result of the time scales suspended within the dome marked in random order. The sequences are accomplished with a total of 144 gestures by means of 158 cams. The Astronomer can be activated on demand or programmed to run at any time up to 24 hours in advance. Eight additional patent applications have been made for the automaton.
The birth date … Hand-painted on the inside of the glass dome, constellations depict the sky as it appeared above Geneva on September 17, 1755, the day that Vacheron Constantin was founded.
Anne-Marie Bubanko - Global PR & Corporate Communication Manager
L to R: Nicholas Foulkes, Olivier Gabet, Christophe Galfard, Christian Selmoni
Rich decorations and astronomical wonders … The central section of the La Quête du Temps is crafted from rock crystal and houses the astronomical clock with signature complications and two dials. On the front dial, the upper half is dominated by the tourbillon at 12 o’clock topped by a magnifying glass for a deeper look, while a circle of baguette-cut diamonds surrounds the tourbillon aperture. The reverse side depicts the celestial vault that tracks the movements of the constellations in real time, also measuring the sidereal day, approximately four minutes shorter than the 24-hour calendar day.
The base, also in transparent rock crystal, depicts the solar system against a background of lapis lazuli. There is so much more, please check it out on the site!
The cosmic journey … Following lunch at Gigi, a restaurant overlooking much of Paris, we gathered at the Meurice Hotel for a panel discussion of space and time. Animated by historian, author and journalist Nicholas Foulkes: Olivier Gabet, Director of the Department of Objets d’Art at the Musée du Louvre, Christophe Galfard, French Physicist and author, disciple of Stephen Hawking, and Christian Selmoni, Style & Heritage Director at Vacheron Constantin took us on a philosophical and cosmic journey to the beginning of time and back. These events were followed by a formal dinner at the Louvre. What more need I say?
September 17, at the Manufacture in Geneva
Geneva is just a short 3 hours and 40 minutes fast train ride from Paris. And Geneva was our destination on September 17, the birth date of Vacheron Constantin, to celebrate its 270th Anniversary. A gala dinner, we had been told. Long dress, black tie.
Moments lost in time … The event was outstanding, starting with every step of the way on the red carpet that led to the entrance of the Manufacture. A welcome worthy of the most distinguished dignitaries on earth, with a long line of uniformed attendants to greet us. Once inside, following a brief exchange with hosts Chief Executive Officer Laurent Perves and Global PR & Corporate Communication Manager Anne-Marie Bubanko, we were led to a long row of watchmakers busy at their tables, punctuated by musicians brilliantly interpreting their partitions among the workbenches and tools.
Christian Selmoni - Style & Heritage Director
Laurent Perves - Chief Executive Officer
Further, synchronised dancers enchanted us among numerous displays of exceptional timepieces from the past and present, while worktables exhibited essential elements used by artisans in the crafting of métiers d’art. Most of us had already visited the Manufacture, but never in such circumstances. Watchmakers, musicians, dancers and artisans combined their talents in a show of magic that can only be accomplished when working together harmoniously with a shared objective. This human touch was a reflection of La Quête du Temps with its automaton Astronomer, an expression of the desire of humankind to learn more, to do better, to be on a constant quest to understand the mechanisms of our world and universe.
More to come !
Last but not least, this Masterpiece has inspired a new Métiers d’Art wristwatch that will be limited to 20 pieces, featuring 4 new patent applications and the new manually-wound manufacture movement: Calibre 3670 Métiers d’Art Tribute to The Quest of Time. To be released in 2026.
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Photo Credits: Short Cut -saï - Stephane Aït Quarab
