Vacheron Constantin Escher Watch
Luxury watchmaker delights art lovers with M.C. Escher designs
Vacheron Constantin Dove Watch
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art collection creates an amazing aliance of design and craftmanship to create three Escher inspired watches that are the perfect marriage of graphic art and high-end watch decorating techniques such as etching, enameling, crimping and guilloche.
They unveiled the newest Vacheron Constantin timepiece collections to its loyal U.S. customers as well as art buyers—in particular, considering the brand’s sponsorship of an art event, the Metiers D’Art Les Univers Infins collection. It features three artistic dials based on the work of famed Dutch graphic artist, M.C. Escher and his use of tessellation—which uses a two-dimensional plane with a repeating geometric shape with no overlaps and no gaps.
Each mini-masterpiece requires hours of handmade detail. Luxurious magazine explains:
Inspired by a drawing by Maurits Cornelis Escher, the dial of the Dove watch features a depiction of doves in flight, sublimated by the prestigious Fine Watchmaking arts: engraving, Grand Feu enameling, gemsetting and guilloché worked are intertwined like tessellations to form a resplendent décor. The white gold case is highlighted by a slender bezel ensuring a generous dial opening swept over by elegant hollowed hands. The case frames a work of art born at the hands of four master artisans within the Manufacture.
The engraver begins by drawing the outline of the doves on a yellow gold dial base, before proceeding to “champlever” them, meaning engraving the motif before the enameler fills the cavities thus formed. This meticulous operation calls for infinite precision, since the repetitive symmetry of the drawing cannot tolerate any flaws. Then comes the turn of the enameler. The infinite range of colours and nuances stems from the various oxides that may be associated with enamel, and of their combinations. It is up to the artisan to create and choose the perfect harmony of the shades which, once bonded by firing in the often, create this radiant violet hue. The enameler completes his task by applying a translucent enamel coating to the violet birds. For their white counterparts, he opts for an opalescent enamel that reveals the engraved motifs and creates a striking depth effect. Once the enameling is complete, the gemsetter highlights one of the doves. The diamonds chosen for their lustre and their clarity emphasize the graceful flight of the bird, drawing the gaze towards its crystal-clear luminosity.
These watches really must be seen to be loved. Vacheron Constantin has really created a watch design that might just outshine the inner craftsmanship. These luxury watches come in three different styles: The Dove Watch, The Fish Watch, and the Shell Watch and come in limited editions of 20 each.
