The wonderful collection that demonstrates close links of the renowned watchmaker with the cultural heritage is increased with three new masterpieces, inspired by the breathtaking work of a Dutch artist, Cornelis Escher. Three novelties: Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Angel, Lizard and Horsemen watches present the thrilling graphic art of tessellation on their dials, showing extraordinary skills of their craftsmen. This art pieces exhibit infinitely wreathed motifs, constantly offering new perspectives and an exciting experience of illusion.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Angel Watch
By using the technique of periodic paving, the most skillful brand’s craftsmen, the guardians of rare and valuable techniques, successfully created a wonderful hypnotic effect. If you ask yourself what exactly is required in order to create something like this, there is a short list: engraving, enameling, gem-setting, gold and mother-of-pearl marquetry and finally a guilloché technique.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Watch Caseback
New Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis watches feature 40 mm cases, made of nicely polished white gold. A bezel is so tiny in order to provide a wide interface for exhibiting the work of art. For the same reason, hands are sceletonized. Inside the case, there is an in-house Calibre 2460 self-winding movement, visible through a sapphire crystal case-back. The mechanism that bears the Hallmark of Geneva oscillates at the frequency of 28’800 vibrations per hour and gives the optimal power of up to 40 hours. Besides its technical excellence, it presents exquisite hand-made decorations. It features a circular-grained mainplate, polished angles, hand-drawn flanks and bridges covered with a Côtes de Genève motif. Finally, its gold oscillating mass is decorated with a crossweave guilloché pattern.
Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Angel Watch
By positioning angels and demons standing face off on the dial of this remarkable watch, Vacheron Constantin created a great contrast which is interesting in both symbolic and aesthetic terms. The figures are depicted through the combination of engraving that provides amazing richness of details, grand fue enameling that gives depth and guilloché work that brings the final aesthetic touch.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Angel Watch Dial
This piece of art is based on the Maurits Cornelis Escher’s research on the “circular boundary”, which means that the work includes infinitely multiplied elements radiating out from the central point. After numerous hand–made processes, guilloché work came as the last applied technique, which is very rare, since this complex operation requires extreme precision in order to escape mistake that could ruin the work of complete team of artisans.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Painting
Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Lizard Watch
Inspired by Escher’s lithographs named Reptiles, this alluring timepiece represents the implementation of four ancestral decorative arts – engraving, Grand Feu enameling, gem-setting and guilloché work. As the final result, we have a spectacular dial that showcases a mosaic of red, brown, gem-set and silver-toned lizards playing on the yellow gold surface.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Lizard Watch
It is really hard to decide which ones look more alive – those with a taupe-coloured enamel body, those coated in crimson red or those adorned by round-cut diamonds. For the final aesthetic touch, there is a tiny guilloche pattern, making these petit reptiles look more realistic.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Lizard Watch Side
Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Horsemen Watch
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Horseman Watch
The final piece of the beautiful Vacheron Constantin trilogy was executed by applying engraving and mother-of-pearl marquetry on the gold base. The main goal of the marquetry artist is to fit two diametrically opposing materials. In this particular case, Ottoman horsemen are cut out from gold and mother-of-pearl to be put together on the gold base, like a puzzle.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Horseman Watch Making
Great skills and extremely patient operations are required in order to implement this technique on such a small surface. Looking at this dial, it becomes obvious that the brand’s craftsmen did a remarkable job. At the final stage of this artistic process, the engraver worked on details, making each figure look complex and vivid.
