Vacheron Constantin

 

Vacheron Constantin and Haute Joaillerie

A Diamond-studded Success Story

 

Vacheron Constantin presents an extraordinary trilogy

dedicated to horological virtuosity and the tradition of jewellery making.

 

 

First, the brand pays tribute to 30 years of the Kallista

with the Kallania, a world first in terms of execution and the number of carats.

 

Then, a first in horology, it uses the flame diamond-cut

to stunning effect in two captivating horological gems.

 

Finally, with the Malte Tourbillon Regulator, high-tech horology

marries with the most sophisticated and delicate of all settings: the invisible setting.

 

Works of art in their own right, these four exceptional pieces

sublimate the craft of the gem-setter for whom each precious stone

is a challenge demanding infinite precision and patience.

 

 

Métiers d’Art: carefully fostered by Vacheron Constantin

 

Vacheron Constantin has always combined, at the very highest level, aesthetic expression with the finest mechanical engineering through its use of the Métiers d’Art, traditional craftsmanship and the pursuit of excellence. Throughout its long history, the brand with the Maltese cross has employed the leading craftsmen of the time to produce the very best in both finishing and decoration. This traditional and exclusive expertise has made its reputation and been passed down from generation to generation for over 250 years.

 

The visionary spirit that guides the craftsmen of the Manufacture links past, present and future in a single overriding commitment to enlightenment, wonder and discovery. Behind this savoir-faire, the human challenges, the true sources of creativity, lie hidden at the heart of its timepieces. This dynamic is present at every stage of the manufacturing process, from design to finishing, with the result that each creation becomes an integral part of the heritage of watchmaking.

 

Besides the emulation it inspires, this quest for perfection comprises a shared expertise which unites the master craftsmen of Vacheron Constantin. Among these perennial arts, those of jewellery and gem-setting have produced some of the Manufacture’s most resplendent pieces since the beginning of the 19^th century.

 

Since 1755, Vacheron Constantin has focussed on creating what has never been created, on mastering the boldest techniques, and on fusing art and craftsmanship: in other words, on doing better if possible, which is always possible.

 

The precision and meticulousness behind each creation are an art in themselves, an art that highlights the Métiers d’Art, the enormous human contribution and the Manufacture’s heritage. But are they jewellery watches or watch jewels? Vacheron Constantin brings together the art of watchmaking and the art of jewellery-making in creations that are less about telling the time than savouring an emotion, an emotion intensified by the radiance of diamonds.

 

Vacheron Constantin pursues its deep commitment to the decorative and technical Métiers d’Art with a masterful demonstration of the savoir-faire nourished for over 250 years by the world’s oldest manufacture.

 

Over 250 years of scintillating success

 

The first ladies’ pocketwatches made by Vacheron Constantin were jewellery pieces, the accepted wisdom of the time being that women did not need to keep track of the time and even less to know what it was when they were in society. The Geneva-based manufacture, therefore, designed them as fashion accessories rather than timekeepers. Worn on a chain, suspended from a chatelaine or concealed inside a broach, they ticked away the hours behind the eternal purity of diamonds and the splendour of turquoises, pearls and garnets.

 

When the brand launched its first wristwatches at the end of the 19^th century, it teamed up with the talented Ferdinand Verger, a watchcase manufacturer established in the Place des Victoires in Paris. Their creations, a marriage of watch movements and gemstones, were part of the revival of the jewellery watch.

 

This was followed in the 20^th century by a miracle in miniaturisation: the slimmest baguette-shaped wristwatch in the world housing a movement designed by Vacheron Constantin. The winding-crown positioned on the back of its case opened up aesthetic opportunities in the world of jewellery watches, but still met the Manufacture’s standards of precision.

 

 

1979: Kallista, “the most beautiful”, a world record with 130 carats

 

In 1979, the Manufacture’s expertise produced another legend, the sculptural Kallista, a watch carved from a gold ingot and the fruit of more than 6,000 hours of work. Kallista means “the most beautiful” in Greek and, according to Greek mythology, diamonds were the tears of the gods. 118 stones weighing a record 130 carats cover the slender profile of the Kallista, whose Vacheron Constantin hand-winding movement is the thinnest in the world in its category.

 

The owner of this divine timepiece was quite right to demand absolute exclusiveness: in the true spirit of the 18^th century cabinotiers, only one Kallista was ever made.

 

This unique masterpiece inspired the great Kalla line, which includes the famous Lady Kalla that won the title of “Montre Joaillerie du Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève” in 2001.

 

 

The Flame cut

 

A first for watchmaking,

a new diamond shape lights up the world of time

 

Marrying different art forms, combining talents, and innovating while respecting one’s heritage: Vacheron Constantin meets these demands by honouring time with what is beautiful, precious, precise and delightful, and by remaining ever attentive to its own creative intuitions. Today, a new diamond shape has been introduced to the world of watches, the flame cut.

 

As its name suggests, its sparkling surface skilfully catches the light to reflect it more dramatically through its multiple facets.

 

The flame cut is not only an aesthetic innovation but, with the complicated process needed to make it, a technical one as well. And it is the first cut in twenty years to be officially recognised by the GIA (Gemmological Institute of America).

 

The flame cut diamond is distinguished by its perfectly proportioned and resolutely feminine contours. With its symbolic shape, the stone seems to blaze and to dance with a light that is reflected and refracted endlessly through its 57 facets.

 

The intersections of these facets have been designed with mathematical precision to obtain a perfect combination of lustre, radiance and diffusion of light. The unique sparkle is enhanced by the stones’ slender, asymmetrical contours that pave the way for unique creations that are more about sensation than exactitude.

 

What also makes the flame cut original is that it is the only one with both a right and a left cut, for which a specific setting has to be developed.

 

Vacheron Constantin has focussed on the sparkling quality of the flame cut diamond this year and presents two spectacular and novel interpretations of Haute Horlogerie jewellery that are as delicate as they are passionate. And to put the finishing touch to the art of jewellery and jewellery-setting, the Manufacture has housed a prestige mechanical movement at its heart.

 

 

Kallania

 

A new world record:

186 emerald-cut diamonds for a total of approximately 170 carats

The embodiment of a living art, the Kallania is a worthy heir of the renowned Kallista, which celebrates its 30^th anniversary this year.

 

A dazzling expression of the passion that inspires the Manufacture’s master craftsmen, it establishes a new world record in terms of execution and the number of carats.

 

No fewer than 186 emerald-cut diamonds weighing approximately 170 carats illuminate this miracle of patience and perfection.

 

Before it was individually certified by the independent laboratory of the Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF), each diamond went through a long and thorough selection process from among a large number of stones extracted from several million tonnes of diamantiferous ore. The exceptional level of purity, colour, cut, finishing and homogeneity is a rare achievement indeed.

 

More than any other factor, it is the proportions and precise positioning of the thousands of facets that make precious stones so beautiful. Perfectly aligned, the facets have been meticulously polished by experts to achieve a maximum clarity of reflected light.

 

Thanks to their light and delicate finishing, the diamonds reveal all their splendour once they have been inserted using the bead-setting technique; each bead is shaped like an inverted pyramid to lighten the appearance of the piece and highlight its lustre and radiance.

 

The mounting, which is carved from white gold, gives shape to the cascade of diamonds which cover it. The perfectly integrated case and bracelet give this distinctive cuff-watch a contemporary air.

 

By combining traditional savoir-faire with contemporary design, Vacheron Constantin has once again affirmed its values in the 21^st century. To show its true worth, this collectors’ piece houses the thinnest mechanical movement in the world, the 1003 calibre. Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin, it is stamped with the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva.

 

 

Lady Kalla Flame and Kalla Haute Couture à Secret

 

A world first in horology for these two models

with their flame cut diamond

Like Haute Horlogerie, Haute Joaillerie stems from the imagination of a master, from his vision of perfection, which is given life by his art and hands.

 

This inspiration, which brings together passion and craftsmanship, is an integral part of Vacheron Constantin’s intrinsic values. From this springs the creative spark, a spark which has set 2009 ablaze with the Manufacture’s decision to inaugurate a totally new cut and dedicate two exclusive timepieces to it:

 

the Lady Kalla Flame

and

the Kalla Haute Couture à Secret.

Created by craftsmen for whom timekeeping is not a priority, these jewellery watches are dressed in flame cut diamonds that give time a new personality.

 

Each set of precious stones is selected with meticulous care to ensure that it complies with the strictest criteria regarding purity, colour and cut to guarantee perfect uniformity.

 

Entirely hand-made and exceptionally supple, a technique known as emmaillement reduces the material to a minimum so that the flame cut diamonds cover the whole piece, including the clasp.

 

The two timepieces are equipped with the celebrated manual-winding 1005 calibre with the crown positioned on the back of the movement.

 

 

The Lady Kalla Flame evokes the iconic Lady Kalla launched in 1982. This fabulous timepiece is brought to life by the brilliance of its 200 diamonds. The case dressed in white gold and embracing a diamond-set dial, echoes the flame shape of the gems. The bracelet is a natural extension of the case with its dancing cortège of precious stones that seem to twirl and pirouette at will. The natural, almost sensual, design takes your mind off the time, indicated here by delicately shaped hour and minute hands.

 

With the Kalla Haute Couture à Secret , time has found its niche. Under the scintillating curtains of 28 flame cut diamonds (totalling 20 carats), a diamond-paved dial lies concealed. Unpretentious in design, and secretive, the timepiece’s slender silhouette extends in two fine lines of 120 diamonds and, like a precious ribbon, encircles the wrist in dazzling undulation. Like a very elegant piece of Haute Couture, this jewellery piece is destined to master the vagaries of time.

 

The Malte Tourbillon Regulator with Invisible Setting

 

Over 2,000 hours of exceptional goldsmithing.

A perfect marriage of Haute Horlogerie and Haute Joaillerie,

where interior beauty complements exterior beauty.

Symbolising the cultural bridge between the arts, engineering and creative genius, Vacheron Constantin’s Haute Joaillerie Malte Tourbillon Regulator brings together the magic of watchmaking and the mystery of gem-setting.

 

This exceptional piece is a vibrant dedication to the Métiers d’Art, which here border on the sublime. With the invisible settings all entirely hand-crafted, it is dressed in 565 baguette diamonds (totalling approximately 19 carats), creating a supreme illumination of time.

 

Only a few artists today have mastered the technique for producing invisible diamond settings. The gold is completely hidden behind the precious stones: supported by a track, they form a field of light without any trace of fastening and, as a result, emit maximum luminosity. Vacheron Constantin chose to apply this technique to a shaped watch which, despite its curved profile, has edges, sharp angles and taut lines, all of which made the work much more challenging.

 

And to accomplish this, a whole range of craftsmen, from designer to gem-setter, from watchmaker to jeweller, worked in perfect harmony, orchestrating their respective skills and motivated by the same determination to surpass themselves.

 

The various criteria for comfort, movement and water resistance were scrupulously observed. Under the designer’s pencil, the Malte Tourbillon Regulator was transformed into a mosaic of diamonds, but with no loss of legibility. The cutter worked on the stones one by one, to the nearest micron, so that the jewel-setter was able to fit them perfectly into the place prepared for them. The precision required for such an exacting task meant that over 2,000 hours of goldsmithing work went into creating this wondrous composition of diamonds.

 

With the gold completely hidden by the gems, the watch becomes a sculpture in diamonds: lugs, bezel, case middle, dial, buckle, every single element shimmers with light, from the crown to the emblematic Maltese cross. The paved dial remains faithful to the original design dictated by the regulator display: the hours, minutes and seconds on the tourbillon cage are separated and read vertically. In this perfectly orchestrated ballet, the precious stones encircle the chapter ring, follow the minute circle and frame the tourbillon cage, all the while subtly setting off each time element on the dial.

The 1795R calibre, a perfect example of the Manufacture’s expertise

 

While mystery surrounds its invisible settings, the Haute Joaillerie Tourbillon Regulator has no intention of hiding the complexity of its shaped 1795R movement, which can be admired through its transparent sapphire crystal back.

 

Meticulously decorated and finished, this manual-winding mechanical movement, designed, developed and produced by the Vacheron Constantin Manufacture, brings together two subtle complications that are particularly appreciated by watch enthusiasts.

 

The tourbillon, which compensates for the negative effects of gravity, is a comprehensive and dynamic example of the expertise of the Manufacture’s master watchmakers and remains one of the most emblematic complications in the art of watchmaking. The regulator display, introduced at the end of the 19^th century to regulate rail traffic, is a reminder to connoisseurs that, at that time, the best timers constantly kept an eye on the regulator clock, given pride of place in every workshop. The hours, minutes and seconds were displayed separately so that each indication of time could be read instantly, making it much easier to carry out any necessary adjustment to the piece being worked on.

 

 

Exceptional level of finishing: no fewer than eleven hours needed to hand-finish the tourbillon bar

 

A distinctive feature of the 1795R movement, designed and manufactured from A to Z by Vacheron Constantin, is its exceptional finishing, which, like the finishing on the bar, cannot be done mechanically.

 

This technically challenging work, known as berçage or rounding off, consists of filing the tips of the arms with perfect regularity to give them a conical and semi-cylindrical shape, while carefully marking off the centre and heels. To obtain a perfect polished rounding-off, the craftsmen polish the piece with stones, buffs, wooden pegs and finishing pastes. No fewer than eleven hours of work are needed to meet the stringent finishing criteria demanded by Vacheron Constantin.

 

The exceptional character of the 1795R calibre is underscored by its côtes de Genève decoration, meticulous hand-chamfering of the bar edges, and engraved individual serial number. As well as a tourbillon, the manual-winding movement features a 40-hour power reserve indicator.

 

A highly outstanding ambassador of the arts, this timepiece evokes a shimmering concept of time, one that is continuously challenged and developed by the Manufacture’s craftsmen. It is a way of remembering that time is both sovereign and infinitely precious.

 

Technical Data

 

Reference     Kallania - 33870/S02G-9452

 

Movement      1003, developed and produces Vacheron Constantin

Stamped with the hallmark of Geneva

 

Energy    Mechanical, manual-winding

 

Height of movement      1.64 mm

 

Diameter of movement  20.80 mm

 

Jewels     18 rubies

 

Frequency       18'000 vibrations/hour

 

Indications      Hours and minutes

 

Power-reserve Approx. 30 hours

 

Water-resistance    3 bar, equivalent to 30 metres

      

Case 18K white gold set with 18 emerald-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 35 ct.

      

Dial  18K white gold set with 32 emerald-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 9.5 ct.

 

Bracelet   18K white gold set with 136 emerald-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 125 ct.

 

Clasp      Paved scale clasp in 18K white gold

 

Total of the weight of approx 169.5 ct.

 

Technical Data

 

Reference     Lady Kalla Flame - 17620/S11G-9478

 

Movement      1005

 

Energy    Mechanical, manual-winding

 

Height of movement      3.60 mm

 

Diameter of movement  6.20 x 17.40 mm

 

Jewels     17 rubies

 

Frequency       19'800 vibrations/hour

 

Indications      Hours, minutes

 

Power-reserve Approx. 30 hours

      

Case 18K white gold set with 20 flame-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 10 ct.

      

Dial  18K white gold set with 60 flame-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 2 ct.

 

Bracelet   18K white gold set with 120 flame-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 24.50 ct.

 

Clasp      Paved scale clasp in 18K white gold

 

Total of the weight of approx 36.5 ct

 

Technical Data

 

Reference     Kalla Haute Couture à Secret - 17625/S12G-9479

 

Movement      1005

 

Energy    Mechanical, manual-winding

 

Height of movement      3.60 mm

 

Diameter of movement  6.20 x 17.40 mm

 

Jewels     17 rubies

 

Frequency       19'800 vibrations/hour

 

Indications      Hours and minutes

 

Power reserve Approx. 30 hours

      

Case 18K white gold set with 28 flame-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 20 ct. and 54 brilliant-cut, total weight of approx. 0.20 ct.

      

Dial  18K white gold paved with 130 flame-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 0.30 ct.

      

Bracelet   18K white gold set with 120 flame-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 14 ct.

      

Clasp      Paved scale clasp in 18K white gold

 

Total of the weight of approx. 34.5 ct.

 

Technical Data

Reference     Malte Tourbillon Regulator with Invisible Setting

30682/000G-9477

 

Movement      1795 R

                     Tonneau shaped tourbillon regulator movement,

                     designed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin

 

Energy    Mechanical, manual-winding

 

Height of movement      6.10 mm

 

Diameter of movement  26.90 mm x 28.30 mm

 

Jewels     27 rubies

 

Frequency       18'000 vibrations/hour

 

Indications      Hours and minutes on regulator display

       Small second on tourbillon cage

      

Power-reserve Approx. 40 hours

      

Case 18K white gold, 39,60mm x 50 mm

       Fully paved with 270 baguette-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 12.25 ct.

       Crown set with 4 baguette-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 0.1 ct.

 

Water-resistance    3 bar, equivalent to 30 metres

 

Dial  18K white gold set with 261 baguette-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 5.63 ct.

      

 

Strap      Black hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square-scaled alligator leather

 

Clasp      18K white gold folding-clasp, half Maltese cross set with 30 baguette-cut diamonds, total weight of approx. 0.9 ct.

 

Total of the weight of approx 18.98 ct.