Vacheron Constantin Tribute to Traditional Symbols is the last series in the Metiers d’Art collection, paying homage to the culture of Ancient China and its emblems, specifically the Seawater Cliff motif, which proliferated from the 14th century until the end of Imperial China in 1912, under the Ming and Qing dynasties. Based on two designs, a series of four limited-edition pieces have been created.
For this project, Vacheron Constantin sought the assistance of Mr Song, former Associate Research Librarian of Palace Museum in Beijing’s Forbidden City. He and Christian Selmoni, Style & Heritage Director at Vacheron Constantin, worked closely together to see this extraordinary series of watches from conception to completion. Mr Song’s knowledge of Imperial China’s cultural traditions was fundamental to guide the artisans at Vacheron Constantin, who worked for hundreds of hours to bring two different interpretations of the Seawater Cliff motif on the dial to life as exemplary renditions of Metier d’Art watches.
The two new additions to the Métiers d’Art collection: Vacheron Constantin Tribute to Traditional Symbols Eternal Flow (left, on white gold) and Moonlight Slivers (right, on 5N pink gold).
Both dials depict mountains towering over cresting waves lashing their cliffs as the tides ebb and flow. This image was officially named Seawater Cliff under Emperor Wanli (1573-1620). The powerful mountain unaffected by the crashing waves symbolises the emperor’s immutability faced with the vagaries of life. Water and mountains are also strong territorial symbols in Chinese tradition, while waves represent longevity and peace. Overall, the Seawater Cliff came to represent the role of the emperor as guarantor of the country’s fortune and prosperity and was regarded as auspicious for those who wore it. As such, it was applied everywhere, from buildings to clothing, furniture to porcelain.
Selmoni explained, “By reproducing these ancient motifs on a watch dial, the Maison’s teams and artisans were obliged to demonstrate creativity to preserve their spirit, while at the same time shining a spotlight on these incredibly rich Imperial garments, symbols of a key period in Chinese history.”
VACHERON CONSTANTIN TRIBUTE TO TRADITIONAL SYMBOLS – ETERNAL FLOW
The highly ornamented dials showcase a star-studded sky, against which majestic mountain peaks, bordered by ginger buds – which in Chinese can also mean “cliff” – are caressed by undulating, frothy tidal waves. The technique used to create this complex scene is known as cloisonné enamelling, and it originated in China in the early 14th century. Despite its difficulty, Vacheron Constantin chose it because of the flexibility it offers in terms of both the choice of colours and the graphic design of the intricate shapes.
The artisans at Vacheron Constantin took 120 hours to create the Eternal Flow dial, showcasing their mastery in the fine craft of cloisonné enamelling and engraving.
First, 220 gold wires were used to delineate the enamelling fields forming the Seawater Cliff motif. This process – which took 50 hours – was followed by 70 hours of patient work for the enamelling itself, which is applied in successive layers according to colour and intensity, with a kiln firing between each operation. Finally, the dial is given a final polish to highlight the gold cloisonné and a translucent enamel coating.
A bat motif – considered a harbinger of good fortune – is hand-engraved on the bezel, shown as a frieze comprised of successive to form a silhouette. In Chinese decoration, five bats are often seen together, traditionally expressing the “Five Good Fortunes”: longevity, wealth, stability, virtue and happiness.
VACHERON CONSTANTIN TRIBUTE TO TRADITIONAL SYMBOLS – MOONLIGHT SLIVERS
The elegant composition of this all-in-one-piece dial represents the fluidity of water against the mighty force of the mountain. On it, a monochrome navy-blue night sky base serves as the backdrop to a breath-taking scene of hollowed waves and raised diamond-set sections for the mountains.
The sea is made of deep – blue Grand Feu enamel applied in successive kiln-fired layers. Hours of engraving resulted in volutes mimicking undulating waves, accentuated by the narrowest of trenches in white enamel, which creates an illusion of movement in the sea.
Moonlight Slivers demonstrate the expertise of the teams at Vacheron Constantin in Grand Feu enameling, engraving and gemsetting.
Each of the sea tides running along the mountains is hand-set with brilliant-cut diamonds, evoking the moon slivers that inspired the name of this watch. In order to add relief and bring to life the foaming waves lashing the mountain sides, the master artisans at Vacheron Constantin again chose engraving with tone-on-tone champlevé enamel inlays to accentuate the depth of the landscape. The mountains are also worked in drypoint to accentuate the perspective effect. The sparkling brilliant-cut diamonds adorning the sea tides resemble the effect of moonlight, echoed by the setting of the bezel entirely adorned with brilliant-cut diamonds.
The heart of the Vacheron Constantin Tribute to Traditional Symbols, the Maison’s Calibre 2460, with its oscillating weight engraved with waves and tides, evoking the motifs on the dials.
The Vacheron Constantin Tribute to Traditional Symbols watches are housed in a 39mm case, both models are available in white or pink gold, powered by the Maison’s compact Calibre 2460. They are equipped with a 40-hour power reserve and certified with the Hallmark of Geneva. Their 22kt gold rotor echoes the symbolism of the dial since the oscillating weight is engraved with a motif recalling the movement of waves and tides.
Learn more about these exquisite timepieces HERE.
Author: Julia Pasarón
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