High watchmaking is a team sport. Uniting in a beautiful symphony of collaboration, technicians and artisans combine their skills, artistry and expertise to create timepieces that are truly exceptional.
One Maison that understands the value of teamwork more than most is Vacheron Constantin, masters of high watchmaking for 270 years. The brand’s Style & Heritage Director, Christian Selmoni explains, “Gemsetters work hand in hand with engravers, guillocheurs and enamellers. These exchanges give rise to masterpieces.”
In the 19th century, timepiece trends changed. Watches emerged from pockets and became status symbols or—to use Selmoni’s phrase— “veritable horological jewels”. With a meticulous approach and a mastery of numerous watchmaking techniques, Vacheron Constantin crafted exquisite timepieces that acted as fashion accessories.
Expertly adorned with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, pearls, onyx, garnets and emeralds, this new generation of watches were highly decorative and original. Precious gems were used ambitiously to highlight the curve of a bezel or form the petals of a flower.
A breathtaking new piece (below) from its Traditionnelle collection demonstrates Vacheron Constantin’s unmatched prowess in gemsetting. Powered by the ultra-thin Calibre 2160, the tourbillon High Jewellery watch is a magnificent example of invisible gemsetting, a technique invented in the early 20th century which consists of setting stones so that the metal prongs used as fastening points ‘disappear’.
Stones are cut with supreme precision by master jewellers in a dedicated workshop within the Manufacture. The resulting groove on each side of the diamond’s bottom facet enables watchmakers to slide each stone individually between a series of rails to form paving with no visible joints. All case components of this 41mm watch are paved with baguette-cut diamonds, from lugs to caseband, from bezel to clasp and from the crown to the dial with its radiant motif to reflect light.
Vacheron Constantin has been at the forefront of gemsetting since day one, says Selmoni. “In 1755, when Jean-Marc Vacheron decided to train an apprentice, watchmaking and jewellery were closely linked, forming the twin sides—technical and artistic—of the same approach.”
Such was the desire of clients for these precious fashion objects that their functionality almost took a back seat to their dazzling ornamentation.
In their quest for excellence in Métiers d’Art, Vacheron Constantin employed centuries-old techniques such as engraving, guilloche, enameling, stone and wood marquetry, stone micro-mosaic, Japanese lacquer, and mother-of-pearl cloisonné.
“Vacheron Constantin has consistently proven its ability to associate these two skills,” adds Selmoni. “The watchmaker is capable of designing the most accomplished mechanisms, while never neglecting their embellishment thanks to artistic crafts—a category that naturally includes gemsetting.”
By using craftsmanship inherited from the past, Vacheron Constantin continues the legacy of high watchmaking and honours the extraordinary skill of artisans who came before. Take engraving for instance. Master engravers at Vacheron Constantin work on dials, casebacks, hands, clasps and openworked movement components using tools from the 14th century such as scorpers, spitsticks and burins.
Enameling also relies on ancient techniques, the oldest of which – champleve – dates back to the 16th century and involves engraving the motif with a drypoint before filling the cavities with enamel. Detailed scenes can be created by miniature painting on a layer of grand feu enamel.
There is cloisonné in which the outline of the motifs are defined using a gold or silver wire. In plique-a-jour, cells are glued to a thin copper base which is dissolved with acids after the glazes are fired. The art of grisaille traces a pattern from a dark or black enamel background, while flinque sees artisans covering a previously guilloche surface with transparent enamel.
By mastering these Métiers d’Art, Vacheron Constantin has been able to create watches with outstanding originality and artistry for almost three centuries. The Maison established in 1755 has produced watches decorated with designs or motifs that represent art and culture from Asia, the Middle East and Ancient Rome. Christian Selmoni concludes, “Artistic crafts have consistently benefited from Vacheron Constantin’s unfailing support and commitment.”