It’s about time Vacheron Constantin is honoured as a high jeweller

In luxury horology, Vacheron Constantin is synonymous with technical excellence, precision, and timeless elegance. For 270 years, it has been celebrated for its watchmaking feats, from ultra-thin calibres to grand complications. 

Yet, another dimension to the maison’s artistry seems to be overlooked by contemporary consumers: its profound legitimacy in high jewellery. 

Vacheron Constantin’s journey into the bejewelled universe is not a recent endeavour but a deeply rooted tradition. Founded in 1755, the brand emerged when watchmaking and jewellery were inextricably linked. Timepieces of the 18th and 19th centuries were often adorned with intricate goldwork, gemstones, and enamelling, serving as functional instruments and ornamental treasures. 

As Christian Selmoni, Vacheron Constantin’s style and heritage director, explains, “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.”

In fact, the brand has always believed that “a watch cannot be technical without being precious.” From the Art Deco period, when Vacheron Constantin collaborated with jewellers like Vergers Freres to create imaginative designs, to the Retro years, which saw the birth of extravagant jewellery watches like the Kallista and Kalla, it has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is achievable as a watchmaking jewel.

Early last year, the maison unveiled the impossibly lavish Grand Lady Kalla, which is not just transformable in four ways but can be done tool-free.

Adds Selmoni, “Vacheron Constantin has consistently proven its ability to associate these two skills: that of the watchmaker capable of designing the most accomplished mechanisms, while never neglecting their embellishment thanks to artistic crafts.”

The Traditionnelle Tourbillon High Jewellery watch, a recent addition to the brand’s illustrious Traditionnelle collection, is a modern embodiment of this legacy. A dazzling spectacle, it is entirely paved with a staggering 334 baguette-cut diamonds that total approximately 27.11 carats. 

From the lugs to the caseband, the bezel to the clasp, and even the crown, every 41mm white gold timepiece component is adorned with meticulously set diamonds. With its radiant motif, the dial serves as the centrepiece, drawing the eye to the tourbillon regulator at its heart.

The exceptional virtuosity involved in their setting is as impressive as the sheer number of diamonds. Here, the technique of invisible setting is showcased. Invented in the early 20th century, this method involves precision-cutting each diamond with a groove on its underside, allowing it to slide into T-shaped rails.

The result is a seamless expanse of diamonds with no visible metal prongs, creating the illusion of a continuous, shimmering surface.

The complexity of this technique is magnified by the watch’s design. The radiating dial pattern requires baguette-cut diamonds of varying sizes, each calibrated to fit perfectly within the composition. The lugs, with their trapeze-shaped diamonds, and the caseband, which features vertically set gems, further demonstrate the master jewellers’ prowess. 

Even the crown is adorned with diamonds cut to fit around the polished flanks of the Maltese cross emblem.

What sets the Traditionnelle Tourbillon High Jewellery watch, and essentially all such Vacheron Constantin creations, apart from the crowd, is their high horology pedigree. The new timepiece’s heart beats the ultra-thin Calibre 2160, a proprietary self-winding tourbillon movement whose open-worked carriage is shaped like the maison’s signature Maltese cross emblem.

A marvel of engineering boasting 188 components and an 80-hour power reserve, the movement measures just 5.65mm thick. This allows the watch case to be slender at 12.46mm, ensuring its suitability for all wrists.

Beating at 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz), the mechanism can be admired through the sapphire caseback. Equally swoon-worthy is its finishing, which includes circular-grained mainplates, hand-bevelled bridges adorned with Cotes de Geneve pattern, and other delicate decorations. 

In particular, the 18K gold peripheral oscillating weight features a Clous de Paris hobnail guilloche pattern that enhances the movement’s aesthetics and contributes to its slim profile.