Even an army of superlatives would prove to be insufficient when it comes to Vacheron Constantin and its sheer brilliance in luxury watchmaking. Beautiful would be an understatement. In fact, it would be no statement at all. There is no watch brand in existence that can match up to the grandeur of Vacheron Constantin or its 265 years of constant production of masterpieces. The brand has been associated with powerful personalities such as members of the British Royal Family as well as Presidents of the United States of America. Often counted among the “Holy Trinity” of luxury watches, Vacheron Constantin has affirmed an eminent place in the watch business through longevity and quality.
But the prime focus of this blog would be on Vacheron Constantin’s elite Haute Horlogerie division, Les Cabinotiers. The term refers to Geneva’s most skilled horologists from the 18th century who practised the surreal art of watchmaking in their workshops called “Cabinets”. These were essentially cramped up attics in the tallest of buildings to get the most natural light possible. These reputed craftsmen received countless requests from people all across Europe to build them custom made timepieces that would help them flaunt their social as well as professional standing. An 18th-century thing to do, perhaps. Today, the Les Cabinotiers work relentlessly to preserve an age-old tradition. The division allows Vacheron Constantin to function at full capacity and manufacture one of a kind watches.
Establishing The Les Cabinotiers
Les Cabinotiers was not established as a separate division up until 2006. However, it did operate under the brand for over two centuries with patrons like James W. Packard, renowned American automobile maker and Henry Graves Jr., influential American banker in the 20th century.
Les Cabinotiers has other benefits for the brand too. As a distinct department that has a sole motive of manufacturing and commissioning custom made watches, it takes a huge load off of the core watch production unit of Vacheron Constantin. Being a custom watch timepiece manufacturing division, every move the Les Cabinotiers makes has to be greenlit by the collector of the watch. This includes every design, every sketch. Even minute changes have to go through the person placing the order.
Les Cabinotiers might not get the recognition the brand’s primary watchmaking wing gets due to obvious reasons, but its prowess in the field of horology cannot be undermined. Seasoned watch collectors know very well about this division’s impressive achievements. It was this very division that assisted in the creation of Ref. 57260, also referred to as the most complicated timepiece in the whole world with a total of 57 complications. The gigantic dual-faced pocket watch is a herculean accomplishment both in terms of technicality as well as aesthetics. It was a team of three Les Cabinotiers horologists who dedicated eight years of their lifetime to the conceptualization as well as the manifestation of the watch. When it was finally released in the year 2015, it proved to be a pivotal milestone for Les Cabinotiers. After nine years of its official founding, Vacheron Constantin’s elite horological force gained global recognition.
Les Cabinotiers: Present Day
Recently in 2019, Vacheron Constantin used the SIHH 2019 as a platform for its new series of timepieces, the Mecaniques Sauvages. This magnificent collection of luxury watches consists of more than 20 unique references that transcend the definition of a watch. These range from grand complications to models that solely focus on pushing the boundaries of watchmaking by displaying the skills of Les Cabinotiers. A good example of the kind of grand complication the Mecaniques Sauvages consists of is the Calibre 2755 Eagle. The movement accommodates a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar, and a tourbillon. The watch itself is an artistic spectacle. On either side of the 45 mm, 18-carat 5N pink gold watch lie hand-engraved eagles soaring mid-flight. The months, days, and dates are handled in separate subdials on the upper half of the watch while the leap year counter is placed distinctively between the 1 o’clock and 2 o’clock markers. The minute repeater is set to be higher on the melodious spectrum via an uncommon centripetal system that allows for a better diffusion of sound. The Hour and Minute hands are centrally placed while the small seconds display is clubbed with the tourbillon at 6 o’clock. The 55-hour power reserve is impressive considering the heavy machinery that the watch comes with. It can be viewed from the case back.
I guess it is pretty clear that Les Cabinotiers is not just any division of just another popular watch brand. It is indeed a different class of watchmakers that not only continues the centuries-old tradition of Genevoise Cabinotiers but also helps Vacheron Constantin to expand further into unknown domains. It is watchmaking royalty at its finest, always ready to serve those who have the financial standing, time, and vision to challenge contemporary Haute Horlogerie.
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