Vacheron Constantin introduces the Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication High Jewellery – Moon Dust watch as part of the launch of the ‘La Quête’ series, developed to mark the 270th anniversary of the Manufacture. This series brings together unique pieces with a thematic focus on astronomy and the processes of observing the heavens, conceived by the Les Cabinotiers department, which is dedicated to bespoke developments and unique projects of high mechanical complexity.
The new model features 16 complications related to astronomical and calendar measurements, organised in a double-sided configuration. The piece incorporates decorative techniques such as engraving, guilloché and gem-setting, applied to an 18-carat white gold case structured with a visual narrative alluding to a symbolic journey from Earth to the Moon. The aesthetic development is articulated around representations of the solar system, visible on both sides of the piece, and inspired by historical cosmological models linked to scientific advances from antiquity to the heliocentric era.
Mechanical development and technical origin
The watch is powered by the 2755 GC16 manufacture calibre, a hand-wound movement derived from the work carried out for the Tour de l’Île model, created for the company’s 250th anniversary in 2005. The tourbillon regulator is housed in a Maltese cross-shaped cage, the distinctive symbol of the manufacture, and completes one rotation per minute, also acting as a small seconds indicator. Its structure seeks to compensate for the effects of gravity on the regulating organ by constantly varying the position of the escapement.
The piece also incorporates a minute repeater that indicates hours, quarters and minutes on demand. The striking mechanism uses a centripetal regulator designed to control the rhythm of the strikes without audible friction, moderating the energy transmitted from the barrel and stabilising the acoustic sequence. This system seeks to optimise the temporal clarity of the mechanical signal and the consistency of the intervals marked by the gongs.
Astronomical approach and conceptual representation
The model draws on the historical tradition of calculating time based on the observation of celestial bodies. The incorporated indications cover multiple phases and cycles linked to astronomical measurement, reflecting principles formulated from early observatories and later theories that structured logical models of the solar system.
These references are presented through mechanical indications and ornamental compositions representing orbital trajectories and planetary arrangements, configured to reinforce the cosmological approach of the watch. The double-sided structure allows for the visual distribution of complications, as well as the distinction of specific registers linked to the lunar cycle, astronomical location and time measurements.
