The Vacheron Constantin x Le Louvre Métiers d’Art “Tribute to Great Civilisations” Collection (Live Pics & Price)

Watchmaking is at the crossroads of art and science. Just like Da Vinci’s works. This might be enough to make the partnership between Vacheron Constantin and Le Louvre a natural fit. Specifically for a brand that has always demonstrated a commitment to perpetuate and encourage the métiers d’art traditional (and often rare) skills and a deep-felt attachment to culture. When the brand announced its partnership with Le Louvre in 2019, many immediately wondered whether this could lead to the creation of watches inspired by the museum’s masterpieces. In 2020, the “Bid for the Louvre” charity offered the opportunity for a buyer to customize a unique piece featuring one of the museum collection’s artworks on its dial… Today, Vacheron Constantin takes the covers off a quartet of limited edition watches paying tribute to the great civilizations of Antiquity, inspired by Masterpieces conserved in Le Louvre.

The Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute to Great Civilisations collection is a quartet of limited-edition watches inspired by emblematic masterpieces conserved in Le Louvre, each representative of four great civilizations: the Persian Empire under Darius the Great; the Egypt of the pharaohs from the time of the Middle Kingdom; the Hellenistic period in Greece; and the birth of the Roman Empire with the advent of Augustus.

To celebrate this cultural and artistic partnership, the watches tell their story using traditional crafts, patiently and meticulously recreating the depth and allure of iconic works on a minuscule horological canvas. This fusion of art, crafts and horology uses an original composition. Surrounded by a frieze, the dial ornamentation is inspired by works in Le Louvre collections representing the decorative arts of different periods: Roman mosaics; a painted Egyptian coffin; painted or bas-relief sculpted Greek ceramics and vases; and a frieze of Babylonian-inspired bricks with coloured glazes. The dial is topped by a sapphire crystal bearing a sculpted gold applique and engraved by metallisation with cuneiform, hieroglyphic, ancient Greek or Latin text.

Presented in 42mm pink or white gold cases, all four watches are based on a watch that is often used for such creative and artist models, and is powered by the self-winding calibre 2460 G4/2 with a complex display. Dedicated to this type of creations, this movement displays the hours, the minutes, the day and the date via four apertures. The absence of hands frees the space on the dial, leaving a free field of expression for the artisans. Beating at 4Hz, it boasts 40 hours of power reserve. With its 31mm diameter, it is fitted for pretty large watches. Turning the watch over, its gold rotor features for the occasion a special engraving, a representation of the east facade of the Louvre based on an 18th-century lithograph. The design matrix was hand-sculpted and then stamped onto the oscillating weights.

The Grand sphinx de Tanis

The Grand Sphinx de Tanis (or great Sphinx of Tanis) edition is based on an enamel dial topped by an impressively engraved and patinated gold applique representing the head of the sphinx. The decorative dial elements are inspired by the necklace depicted on the cartonnage coffin of Nakht-khonsou-irou, with petals reproduced in champlevé enamel. Under this necklace, a winged hawk with a ram’s head appears with its plumage again in champlevé enamel.

Quick facts: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute to great civilisations – Grand sphinx de Tanis – 42mm x 12.9mm – 5N pink gold case – water resistant to 30m – Champlevé enamel frieze, champlevé enamel & enamel background – Writings engraved by metallisation on sapphire crystal  Hand-engraved 3N gold applique with patina – in-house automatic calibre 2460G4/2 – 31 x 6.05mm – 4Hz – 40-hour power reserve – 27 jewels – 237 parts – 22K pink gold oscillating weight with the Louvre eastern façade engraving – hours, minutes, day of the week and date in apertures – hallmark of Geneva – alligator leather strap and pin buckle – reference, 7620A/000R-B927 – limited and numbered edition of 5 watches

The Lion de Darius

To reproduce the frieze of lions of the Palace of Darius, the Vacheron Constantin artisans opted for stone marquetry using 69 fragments of turquoise and yellow mochaite jasper for each watch. The gold applique depicting one of the lions is engraved to create striking details. Last, the frieze surrounding the dial is made of engraved metal and champlevé enamel with “ageing” inclusions.

Quick facts: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute to great civilisations – Lion de Darius – 42mm x 12.9mm – 5N pink gold case – water resistant to 30m – Engraved metal & champlevé enamel frieze, stone marquetry background Writings engraved by metallisation on sapphire crystal – Hand-engraved white gold applique with patina– in-house automatic calibre 2460G4/2 – 31 x 6.05mm – 4Hz – 40-hour power reserve – 27 jewels – 237 parts – 22K pink gold oscillating weight with the Louvre eastern façade engraving – hours, minutes, day of the week and date in apertures – hallmark of Geneva – alligator leather strap and pin buckle – reference, 7620A/000R-B926 – limited and numbered edition of 5 watches

The Buste d’Auguste

For this piece, the engraved Buste d’Auguste gold applique tops a dial whose centre is enamelled in blue-green while its periphery is adorned with stone micro-mosaic. The 660 fragments of stones composing this micro-mosaic are in quartzite, cacholong, dumortierite, mochaite, red jasper, grossular, and red aventurine.

Quick facts: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute to great civilisations – Buste d’Auguste – 42mm x 12.9mm – white gold case – water resistant to 30m – Hand-engraved gold frieze, enamel & stone micro-mosaic background – Writings engraved by metallisation on sapphire crystal – Hand-engraved white gold applique with patina– in-house automatic calibre 2460G4/2 – 31 x 6.05mm – 4Hz – 40-hour power reserve – 27 jewels – 237 parts – 22K pink gold oscillating weight with the Louvre eastern façade engraving – hours, minutes, day of the week and date in apertures – alligator leather strap and pin buckle – reference, 7620A/000G-B929 – limited and numbered edition of 5 watches

The Victoire de Samothrace

Paying tribute to one of the most famous masterpieces of the Louvre, the Victoire de Samothrace, this watch features a dial in brown enamel. The periphery features grisaille enamelling (consisting of applying white enamel touches to an underlying dark enamel dial coating) depicting the decorative friezes taken from two Greek vases. The winged female figure is slightly off-centred (incorporating a window to reveal the day of the week). There again it is portrayed with remarkable subtleties and virtuosity, for instance for the wing or for the garment’s flowing lines.

Quick facts: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute to great civilisations – Victoire de Samothrace 42mm x 12.9mm – white gold case – water resistant to 30m – Hand-engraved gold frieze, grisaille enamel & enamel background – Writings engraved by metallisation on sapphire crystal – Hand-engraved white gold applique with patina– in-house automatic calibre 2460G4/2 – 31 x 6.05mm – 4Hz – 40-hour power reserve – 27 jewels – 237 parts – 22K pink gold oscillating weight with the Louvre eastern façade engraving – hours, minutes, day of the week and date in apertures – hallmark of Geneva – alligator leather strap and pin buckle – reference, 7620A/000G-B928 – limited and numbered edition of 5 watches

The Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute to great civilisations collection gathers remarkable and eclectic creations that tell more than time, celebrating the traditional arts of different antique cultures. The four models are released in limited editions of 5 pieces and are available exclusively through the Vacheron Constantin Boutiques. Their price was not communicated, but the 2018 Aerostier edition will provide an idea (CHF 159,000 back then).

For more information, please visit www.vacheron-constantin.com.