Big news for watch connoisseurs and lovers of luxury across the world: Vacheron Constantin has just debuted its latest Les Cabinotiers watches upon the market, each of them as wondrous in technological wizardry as they are mesmerizing in execution of design.
Inspired by the brand, which is Switzerland’s oldest still operating watch company, and its history of geographical exploration and expansion, the watches of the Récits de Voyages reflect two regions of worldwide art movements; the first, the Middle East and its arabesque culture; the second, New York and its Art Deco style.
Interested? You’re on the clock, if you’ll pardon the pun. Vacheron Constantin will only release two Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon watches – one of each style – placing each watch upon the utmost tier of exclusivity across the worldwide luxury watch market.
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Speaking of the Middle East’s influence upon Vacheron Constantin’s creations, the maison’s style and heritage director Christian Selmoni said: “as Vacheron Constantin established trade relations with countries to the east of the Mediterranean basin as early as the 1810s, pocket watches from the early 19th century notably feature finely chased arabesque ornamentation, sometimes surrounded by rows of pearls or stones.”
“Since the earliest exchanges with the region, Islamic architecture and richly illuminated Arabic manuscripts have been a favorite source of inspiration for the Manufacture’s artisans,” Selmoni continued. “A new peak of this art is nonetheless reached in Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon – Tribute to arabesque.”
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As for the relationship between the Art Deco movement and Vacheron Constantin, Selmoni says “Vacheron Constantin’s private collection contains small treasures typifying the Art Deco style and testifying to the intense creativity of this exuberant universe. As far as the Art Deco influence is concerned, there’s much more to it than a hint, as at the time it represented an art of living that was to have a lasting influence, including on watchmaking.”
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The Tribute to Art Deco Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon is not just a celebration of Art Deco, but New York City too, a city in which Vacheron Constantin has sold its watches for over two centuries.
The watch is inspired by the city’s skyscrapers, featuring a dial made from wood marquetry, a minutes track with 11 faceted diamond hour markers, and a 44mm 18-karat 5N pink gold case that is entirely engraved with herringbone motifs.
The Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Tribute to Arabesque watch is inspired, on the other hand, by the oblique aesthetics of Arabian architecture, including a multitude of historic domes, arches and artwork across the region.
The dial is entirely engraved and open-worked, and is also meticulously hand etched, details reminiscent of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
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