{"lien_WSTV":"","tax_name":"deprecated","tax_rate":20,"id_manufacturer":"0","id_supplier":"0","id_category_default":"298","id_shop_default":"4","manufacturer_name":false,"supplier_name":false,"name":"Les Cabinotiers \u2013 Ode to Amaterasu","description":"<p><strong>Les Cabinotiers Le Temps Divin Japanese culture, time and artistic crafts <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Embargo lifted on 12 November 2024, 9AM CET<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u2022 In suggesting a return to the mythological origins of Time, Vacheron\u00a0Constantin has taken an interest in its metaphysical dimension through the prism of Japanese culture.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 To embody this metaphysical time, three Japanese myth figures were chosen: Izanagi, Amaterasu and Konohanasakuya-hime.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Divinities and their respective environments come to life on dials resulting from a subtle combination of intaglio engraving, grisaille enamel and miniature enamel.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0The Les Cabinotiers Le Temps Divin (divine time) series explore the notion of time in its various cultural and conceptual perceptions: physical and linear like a chronology; astronomical and cyclical like the seasons; metaphysical in the infinite stretching of the present moment. For each of these interpretations, Vacheron Constantin offers a journey towards different cultural horizons, a horological odyssey punctuated by the mechanics of time and staged by artistic crafts. To embody metaphysical time, Les Cabinotiers creations turned to Japanese symbolism through three key figures. To depict these kami (divinities) on the dials, the Maison called on the combined skills of its engraver and enameller.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Time through the prism of Japanese culture<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The new series of single-edition timepieces around the theme of Le Temps Divin is a philosophical and cultural quest. In suggesting a return to the mythological origins of Time, Vacheron Constantin has taken an interest in its metaphysical dimension: high-quality time punctuated by the deeds of divinities; as well as intimate time, eternally experienced at the most intense moments.<\/p>\n<p>This abstract form of time is interpreted in a distinctive way through Japanese myth which features a number of deities, or kami, whose cosmic energy is thought to have exerted a major influence on the Universe. By acting at just the right moment, these divinities changed the course of events, lending a hallowed character to their actions and depth to those fateful moments. By descending to Earth to breathe life into it, the kami created the Japanese archipelago, commissioning the first emperor Jinmu to found the nation. From this communion with the forces of the Universe comes a vision of infinite time, where moments from the past are incredibly vivid in the present.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Major Japanese myth deities<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To embody this metaphysical time, Vacheron Constantin highlights three figures. These references to Japanese culture are not new to the Maison, as testified by numerous early 20th-century artistic crafts models including a \"samurai\" pocket watch from 1924; an enamelled and gem-set ladies' brooch watch made the same year featuring Japanese inspired decoration; along with a lacquered 1935 triptych table clock also adorned with a samurai scene.<\/p>\n<p>The kami depicted on the dials are represented off-centre, as is traditional in Japan. Izanagi, the god of creation, is regarded \u2013 along with his sister-wife Izanami \u2013 as the founder of Japan. His mission was to give shape to primordial chaos and create a world, which he accomplished by striking the ocean with his sacred spear, giving birth to the Japanese archipelago born of solidified water droplets. On the dial of the timepiece created in his honour, the divinity can be seen pointing his spear at the ocean.<\/p>\n<p>The second model is dedicated to Amaterasu, considered as an important deity. According to mythology, this sun goddess born of the left eye of her father Izanagi gave birth to the line of all Japanese emperors, as well as introducing the cultivation of rice and wheat along with the rearing of silkworms to the archipelago. It is she who symbolically appears on the Japanese f lag in the form of a solar disc, with or without rays. This emblematic figure is depicted on the sundial in colourful ceremonial clothes, shrouded in evanescent rays and carrying the sun disc as well as a sakaki branch, the sacred flowering key-tree.<\/p>\n<p>The third timepiece depicts Konohanasakuya-hime, the richly attired goddess of Mount Fuji and all Japan\u2019s volcanoes. Surrounded by the Moon and cherry blossom branches, symbolic attributes of this flower princess, she wears the j\u016bnihitoe court costume from the Heian period (794-1185) traditionally comprising 12 layers of clothing featuring a combination of hues in tune with the seasons. Konohanasakuya-hime was chosen to become the wife of Ninigi, Amaterasu's grandson, symbolising human life as beautiful as it is fleeting, like cherry blossoms. In the distance, the silhouette of Mount Fuji \u2013 the mountain she guarded to prevent it from erupting \u2013 can be seen through the mist.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A subtile combination of intaglio engraving, grisaille enamel and miniature enamel<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The gold dials of these timepieces undergo an initial engraving stage. To give substance to the deities\u2019 ethereal surroundings composed of mist, clouds and sea foam, the master engraver uses the intaglio technique. Often employed in the world of printmaking, this consists of engraving microgrooves with a drypoint to a depth of just a few hundredths of a millimetre. By creating barbs (name given to the tiny pieces of metal removed), the engraver endows the metal with a unique velvety quality, particularly suited to the decoration of this model that plays on textures and shimmering reflections. After around 20 hours' work, he coats the dial with a protective layer of translucent flux.<\/p>\n<p>The timepiece is then transferred to the workbench of the enameller, who begins by working the silhouette of the gods in Limoges white, an opalescent enamel powder particularly suited to chiaroscuro effects. Two coats are fired to fix the colours of the decoration and the contours of the kami. Then comes the patient and delicate work of painting the miniature enamel under binoculars, using special brushes with just a few hairs to reproduce the colours and details of the painting. No fewer than six to seven successive coats, each heated to between 800\u00b0 and 900\u00b0C, are needed to achieve the full chromatic richness and depth of this depiction of mythological gods. To finish and add lustre, the master enameller applies two layers of translucent enamel, which are delicately stone-polished to bring out the shapes and colours.<\/p>\n<p>Each dial took the enameller three weeks to complete.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Questions to Sandrine Donguy, Product & Innovation Director<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> For these models, Vacheron Constantin evokes a metaphysical vision of Time. Can you explain? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The theme of the new Les Cabinotiers collection is Le Temps Divin, aiming to explore the various notions linked to the concept of Time \u2013 whether physical, cyclical and metaphysical \u2013 from a naturally horological standpoint. Mythological stories provide an excellent narrative context for illustrating these different meanings of the term. Hence the reference to the divine, understood as a universe where the deities enact the laws of the Universe and therefore of time. The pantheon of the ancients features tutelary figures to whom these different notions refer. There was however no question of confining ourselves to the Greco-Roman tradition alone. One of Vacheron Constantin's hallmarks is its openness to the world and to the different cultures it has encountered in the course of its commercial development since the early 19th century. With this new theme, the aim was to pay tribute to this cultural diversity that can be found in the Maison\u2019s historical collections, by calling upon artistic crafts and on the ingenuity of Vacheron Constantin's watchmakers. In this context, Japanese myth provided an excellent field of study.<\/p>\n<p><strong> Which techniques were chosen for these three timepieces?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To bring these divinities to life, it was necessary to achieve perfect definition of lines and colouring, yet within an ethereal, almost blurred setting in order to give depth to these compositions that were created asymmetrically, in accordance with Japanese tradition. A single technique was therefore not enough. Engraving, which takes around 20 hours per dial, is used to set the scene, while the accuracy of miniature enamel painting lends a touch of realism to the painting after three weeks of painstaking work.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why these deities?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This choice reflects the research carried out, which highlighted these divinities from Japanese myth not only for the central role they play in this cosmology, but also because of the 'graphic' depictions they inspired. It's always a question of finding the right balance between the themes chosen, the way they are created and sensitivity to artistic crafts.<\/p>","description_short":"","quantity":0,"minimal_quantity":"0","available_now":"","available_later":"","price":0,"specificPrice":false,"additional_shipping_cost":"0.00","wholesale_price":"0.000000","on_sale":"0","online_only":"0","unity":"","unit_price":0,"unit_price_ratio":"0.000000","ecotax":"0.000000","reference":"1420C\/000J-161C ","supplier_reference":"","location":"","width":"0.000000","height":"0.000000","depth":"0.000000","weight":"0.000000","ean13":"","upc":"","link_rewrite":"les-cabinotiers-ode-to-izanagi","meta_description":"Les Cabinotiers Le Temps Divin Japanese culture, time and artistic crafts Embargo lifted on 12 November 2024, 9AM CET \u00a0\u2022 In suggesting a return to the mythol...","meta_keywords":"","meta_title":"Watch Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers \u2013 Ode to Amaterasu | Cabinotiers 1420C\/000J-161C Yellow Gold - Strap Satin","quantity_discount":"0","customizable":"0","new":true,"uploadable_files":"0","text_fields":"0","active":"1","redirect_type":"","id_product_redirected":"0","available_for_order":"0","available_date":"0000-00-00","condition":"new","show_price":"1","indexed":"0","visibility":"both","date_add":"2024-12-18 00:45:05","date_upd":"2024-12-23 16:18:20","tags":false,"base_price":"0.000000","id_tax_rules_group":"1","id_color_default":0,"advanced_stock_management":"0","out_of_stock":2,"depends_on_stock":false,"isFullyLoaded":true,"cache_is_pack":"0","cache_has_attachments":"1","is_virtual":"0","id_pack_product_attribute":null,"cache_default_attribute":"0","category":"cabinotiers","pack_stock_type":"0","id":9169,"id_shop_list":null,"force_id":false,"customization_required":false}
{"Compl\u00e9ment":"Yellow Gold - Strap Satin","Statut de vente":"En vente depuis","Date":"2024","Sexe":"Homme","Diam\u00e8tre":"36","Epaisseur":"8.00","Types":"Self-winding","Styles":"High Horology","Calibre_autre":"1440","Calibre distinction":"Hallmark of Geneva","Complication":"Hours and minutes","Mati\u00e8re du bo\u00eetier":"Yellow gold","Particularit\u00e9 du boitier":"Transparent caseback, Sapphire caseback","Forme":"Round","Cadran":"Gold","Mati\u00e8re du bracelet":"Satin","Fermeture du bracelet":"Pin buckle","Couleur du bracelet":"Red","Plus de caract\u00e9ristiques":"<br\/>\r\nMovement<br\/>\r\nCaliber 1440<br\/>\r\n Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin <br\/>\r\nMechanical self-winding <br\/>\r\n22.10 mm diameter, 2.60 mm thick <br\/>\r\nMovement power reserve: approximately 42 hours <br\/>\r\n4 Hz (28\u2019800 vibrations\/hour) <br\/>\r\n116 components <br\/>\r\n19 jewels <br\/>\r\n<br\/>\r\nCase<br\/>\r\n18K 2N yellow gold <br\/>\r\n<br\/>\r\nDial<br\/>\r\n18K gold, hand-engraved and hand-enamelled Grand Feu miniature, representing \r\nAmaterasu<br\/>\r\n<br\/>\r\nStrap \/ Buckles<br\/>\r\nRed satin with beige lining, hand-stitched <br\/>\r\nClasp 18K 2N yellow gold pin buckle <br\/>\r\n<br\/>\r\nPresentation box & accessory \r\nLes Cabinotiers model<br\/>\r\n<br\/>\r\nUnique timepiece <br\/>\r\n\u00ab Pi\u00e8ce unique \u00bb, \u00ab Les Cabinotiers \u00bb and \u00ab AC \u00bb hallmark engraved on the back of the timepiece"}
1420C/000J-161C
Brand : | Vacheron Constantin |
Collection : | Cabinotiers |
Model : | Les Cabinotiers – Ode to Amaterasu |
Reference : | 1420C/000J-161C |
Complement : | Yellow Gold - Strap Satin |
On sale : | 2024 |
Brand : | Vacheron Constantin |
Collection : | Cabinotiers |
Model : | Les Cabinotiers – Ode to Amaterasu |
Reference : | 1420C/000J-161C |
Complement : | Yellow Gold - Strap Satin |
On sale : | 2024 |
List Price : | On request |
Diameter : | 36 mm |
Thickness : | 8.00 mm |
Styles : | High Horology |
Types : | Self-winding |
Calibre : | 1440 |
Calibre distinction : | Hallmark of Geneva |
Complication : | Hours and minutes |
Case material : | Yellow gold |
Case peculiarity : | Transparent caseback Sapphire caseback |
Shape : | Round |
Dial : | Gold |
Strap material : | Satin |
Strap color : | Red |
Strap clasp : | Pin buckle |
+ More characteristics : | Movement Caliber 1440 Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin Mechanical self-winding 22.10 mm diameter, 2.60 mm thick Movement power reserve: approximately 42 hours 4 Hz (28’800 vibrations/hour) 116 components 19 jewels Case 18K 2N yellow gold Dial 18K gold, hand-engraved and hand-enamelled Grand Feu miniature, representing Amaterasu Strap / Buckles Red satin with beige lining, hand-stitched Clasp 18K 2N yellow gold pin buckle Presentation box & accessory Les Cabinotiers model Unique timepiece « Pièce unique », « Les Cabinotiers » and « AC » hallmark engraved on the back of the timepiece |
Les Cabinotiers Le Temps Divin Japanese culture, time and artistic crafts
Embargo lifted on 12 November 2024, 9AM CET
• In suggesting a return to the mythological origins of Time, Vacheron Constantin has taken an interest in its metaphysical dimension through the prism of Japanese culture.
• To embody this metaphysical time, three Japanese myth figures were chosen: Izanagi, Amaterasu and Konohanasakuya-hime.
• Divinities and their respective environments come to life on dials resulting from a subtle combination of intaglio engraving, grisaille enamel and miniature enamel.
The Les Cabinotiers Le Temps Divin (divine time) series explore the notion of time in its various cultural and conceptual perceptions: physical and linear like a chronology; astronomical and cyclical like the seasons; metaphysical in the infinite stretching of the present moment. For each of these interpretations, Vacheron Constantin offers a journey towards different cultural horizons, a horological odyssey punctuated by the mechanics of time and staged by artistic crafts. To embody metaphysical time, Les Cabinotiers creations turned to Japanese symbolism through three key figures. To depict these kami (divinities) on the dials, the Maison called on the combined skills of its engraver and enameller.
Time through the prism of Japanese culture
The new series of single-edition timepieces around the theme of Le Temps Divin is a philosophical and cultural quest. In suggesting a return to the mythological origins of Time, Vacheron Constantin has taken an interest in its metaphysical dimension: high-quality time punctuated by the deeds of divinities; as well as intimate time, eternally experienced at the most intense moments.
This abstract form of time is interpreted in a distinctive way through Japanese myth which features a number of deities, or kami, whose cosmic energy is thought to have exerted a major influence on the Universe. By acting at just the right moment, these divinities changed the course of events, lending a hallowed character to their actions and depth to those fateful moments. By descending to Earth to breathe life into it, the kami created the Japanese archipelago, commissioning the first emperor Jinmu to found the nation. From this communion with the forces of the Universe comes a vision of infinite time, where moments from the past are incredibly vivid in the present.
Major Japanese myth deities
To embody this metaphysical time, Vacheron Constantin highlights three figures. These references to Japanese culture are not new to the Maison, as testified by numerous early 20th-century artistic crafts models including a "samurai" pocket watch from 1924; an enamelled and gem-set ladies' brooch watch made the same year featuring Japanese inspired decoration; along with a lacquered 1935 triptych table clock also adorned with a samurai scene.
The kami depicted on the dials are represented off-centre, as is traditional in Japan. Izanagi, the god of creation, is regarded – along with his sister-wife Izanami – as the founder of Japan. His mission was to give shape to primordial chaos and create a world, which he accomplished by striking the ocean with his sacred spear, giving birth to the Japanese archipelago born of solidified water droplets. On the dial of the timepiece created in his honour, the divinity can be seen pointing his spear at the ocean.
The second model is dedicated to Amaterasu, considered as an important deity. According to mythology, this sun goddess born of the left eye of her father Izanagi gave birth to the line of all Japanese emperors, as well as introducing the cultivation of rice and wheat along with the rearing of silkworms to the archipelago. It is she who symbolically appears on the Japanese f lag in the form of a solar disc, with or without rays. This emblematic figure is depicted on the sundial in colourful ceremonial clothes, shrouded in evanescent rays and carrying the sun disc as well as a sakaki branch, the sacred flowering key-tree.
The third timepiece depicts Konohanasakuya-hime, the richly attired goddess of Mount Fuji and all Japan’s volcanoes. Surrounded by the Moon and cherry blossom branches, symbolic attributes of this flower princess, she wears the jūnihitoe court costume from the Heian period (794-1185) traditionally comprising 12 layers of clothing featuring a combination of hues in tune with the seasons. Konohanasakuya-hime was chosen to become the wife of Ninigi, Amaterasu's grandson, symbolising human life as beautiful as it is fleeting, like cherry blossoms. In the distance, the silhouette of Mount Fuji – the mountain she guarded to prevent it from erupting – can be seen through the mist.
A subtile combination of intaglio engraving, grisaille enamel and miniature enamel
The gold dials of these timepieces undergo an initial engraving stage. To give substance to the deities’ ethereal surroundings composed of mist, clouds and sea foam, the master engraver uses the intaglio technique. Often employed in the world of printmaking, this consists of engraving microgrooves with a drypoint to a depth of just a few hundredths of a millimetre. By creating barbs (name given to the tiny pieces of metal removed), the engraver endows the metal with a unique velvety quality, particularly suited to the decoration of this model that plays on textures and shimmering reflections. After around 20 hours' work, he coats the dial with a protective layer of translucent flux.
The timepiece is then transferred to the workbench of the enameller, who begins by working the silhouette of the gods in Limoges white, an opalescent enamel powder particularly suited to chiaroscuro effects. Two coats are fired to fix the colours of the decoration and the contours of the kami. Then comes the patient and delicate work of painting the miniature enamel under binoculars, using special brushes with just a few hairs to reproduce the colours and details of the painting. No fewer than six to seven successive coats, each heated to between 800° and 900°C, are needed to achieve the full chromatic richness and depth of this depiction of mythological gods. To finish and add lustre, the master enameller applies two layers of translucent enamel, which are delicately stone-polished to bring out the shapes and colours.
Each dial took the enameller three weeks to complete.
Questions to Sandrine Donguy, Product & Innovation Director
For these models, Vacheron Constantin evokes a metaphysical vision of Time. Can you explain?
The theme of the new Les Cabinotiers collection is Le Temps Divin, aiming to explore the various notions linked to the concept of Time – whether physical, cyclical and metaphysical – from a naturally horological standpoint. Mythological stories provide an excellent narrative context for illustrating these different meanings of the term. Hence the reference to the divine, understood as a universe where the deities enact the laws of the Universe and therefore of time. The pantheon of the ancients features tutelary figures to whom these different notions refer. There was however no question of confining ourselves to the Greco-Roman tradition alone. One of Vacheron Constantin's hallmarks is its openness to the world and to the different cultures it has encountered in the course of its commercial development since the early 19th century. With this new theme, the aim was to pay tribute to this cultural diversity that can be found in the Maison’s historical collections, by calling upon artistic crafts and on the ingenuity of Vacheron Constantin's watchmakers. In this context, Japanese myth provided an excellent field of study.
Which techniques were chosen for these three timepieces?
To bring these divinities to life, it was necessary to achieve perfect definition of lines and colouring, yet within an ethereal, almost blurred setting in order to give depth to these compositions that were created asymmetrically, in accordance with Japanese tradition. A single technique was therefore not enough. Engraving, which takes around 20 hours per dial, is used to set the scene, while the accuracy of miniature enamel painting lends a touch of realism to the painting after three weeks of painstaking work.
Why these deities?
This choice reflects the research carried out, which highlighted these divinities from Japanese myth not only for the central role they play in this cosmology, but also because of the 'graphic' depictions they inspired. It's always a question of finding the right balance between the themes chosen, the way they are created and sensitivity to artistic crafts.
Les Cabinotiers Le Temps Divin Japanese culture, time and artistic crafts
Embargo lifted on 12 November 2024, 9AM CET
• In suggesting a return to the mythological origins of Time, Vacheron Constantin has taken an interest in its metaphysical dimension through the prism of Japanese culture.
• To embody this metaphysical time, three Japanese myth figures were chosen: Izanagi, Amaterasu and Konohanasakuya-hime.
• Divinities and their respective environments come to life on dials resulting from a subtle combination of intaglio engraving, grisaille enamel and miniature enamel.
The Les Cabinotiers Le Temps Divin (divine time) series explore the notion of time in its various cultural and conceptual perceptions: physical and linear like a chronology; astronomical and cyclical like the seasons; metaphysical in the infinite stretching of the present moment. For each of these interpretations, Vacheron Constantin offers a journey towards different cultural horizons, a horological odyssey punctuated by the mechanics of time and staged by artistic crafts. To embody metaphysical time, Les Cabinotiers creations turned to Japanese symbolism through three key figures. To depict these kami (divinities) on the dials, the Maison called on the combined skills of its engraver and enameller.
Time through the prism of Japanese culture
The new series of single-edition timepieces around the theme of Le Temps Divin is a philosophical and cultural quest. In suggesting a return to the mythological origins of Time, Vacheron Constantin has taken an interest in its metaphysical dimension: high-quality time punctuated by the deeds of divinities; as well as intimate time, eternally experienced at the most intense moments.
This abstract form of time is interpreted in a distinctive way through Japanese myth which features a number of deities, or kami, whose cosmic energy is thought to have exerted a major influence on the Universe. By acting at just the right moment, these divinities changed the course of events, lending a hallowed character to their actions and depth to those fateful moments. By descending to Earth to breathe life into it, the kami created the Japanese archipelago, commissioning the first emperor Jinmu to found the nation. From this communion with the forces of the Universe comes a vision of infinite time, where moments from the past are incredibly vivid in the present.
Major Japanese myth deities
To embody this metaphysical time, Vacheron Constantin highlights three figures. These references to Japanese culture are not new to the Maison, as testified by numerous early 20th-century artistic crafts models including a "samurai" pocket watch from 1924; an enamelled and gem-set ladies' brooch watch made the same year featuring Japanese inspired decoration; along with a lacquered 1935 triptych table clock also adorned with a samurai scene.
The kami depicted on the dials are represented off-centre, as is traditional in Japan. Izanagi, the god of creation, is regarded – along with his sister-wife Izanami – as the founder of Japan. His mission was to give shape to primordial chaos and create a world, which he accomplished by striking the ocean with his sacred spear, giving birth to the Japanese archipelago born of solidified water droplets. On the dial of the timepiece created in his honour, the divinity can be seen pointing his spear at the ocean.
The second model is dedicated to Amaterasu, considered as an important deity. According to mythology, this sun goddess born of the left eye of her father Izanagi gave birth to the line of all Japanese emperors, as well as introducing the cultivation of rice and wheat along with the rearing of silkworms to the archipelago. It is she who symbolically appears on the Japanese f lag in the form of a solar disc, with or without rays. This emblematic figure is depicted on the sundial in colourful ceremonial clothes, shrouded in evanescent rays and carrying the sun disc as well as a sakaki branch, the sacred flowering key-tree.
The third timepiece depicts Konohanasakuya-hime, the richly attired goddess of Mount Fuji and all Japan’s volcanoes. Surrounded by the Moon and cherry blossom branches, symbolic attributes of this flower princess, she wears the jūnihitoe court costume from the Heian period (794-1185) traditionally comprising 12 layers of clothing featuring a combination of hues in tune with the seasons. Konohanasakuya-hime was chosen to become the wife of Ninigi, Amaterasu's grandson, symbolising human life as beautiful as it is fleeting, like cherry blossoms. In the distance, the silhouette of Mount Fuji – the mountain she guarded to prevent it from erupting – can be seen through the mist.
A subtile combination of intaglio engraving, grisaille enamel and miniature enamel
The gold dials of these timepieces undergo an initial engraving stage. To give substance to the deities’ ethereal surroundings composed of mist, clouds and sea foam, the master engraver uses the intaglio technique. Often employed in the world of printmaking, this consists of engraving microgrooves with a drypoint to a depth of just a few hundredths of a millimetre. By creating barbs (name given to the tiny pieces of metal removed), the engraver endows the metal with a unique velvety quality, particularly suited to the decoration of this model that plays on textures and shimmering reflections. After around 20 hours' work, he coats the dial with a protective layer of translucent flux.
The timepiece is then transferred to the workbench of the enameller, who begins by working the silhouette of the gods in Limoges white, an opalescent enamel powder particularly suited to chiaroscuro effects. Two coats are fired to fix the colours of the decoration and the contours of the kami. Then comes the patient and delicate work of painting the miniature enamel under binoculars, using special brushes with just a few hairs to reproduce the colours and details of the painting. No fewer than six to seven successive coats, each heated to between 800° and 900°C, are needed to achieve the full chromatic richness and depth of this depiction of mythological gods. To finish and add lustre, the master enameller applies two layers of translucent enamel, which are delicately stone-polished to bring out the shapes and colours.
Each dial took the enameller three weeks to complete.
Questions to Sandrine Donguy, Product & Innovation Director
For these models, Vacheron Constantin evokes a metaphysical vision of Time. Can you explain?
The theme of the new Les Cabinotiers collection is Le Temps Divin, aiming to explore the various notions linked to the concept of Time – whether physical, cyclical and metaphysical – from a naturally horological standpoint. Mythological stories provide an excellent narrative context for illustrating these different meanings of the term. Hence the reference to the divine, understood as a universe where the deities enact the laws of the Universe and therefore of time. The pantheon of the ancients features tutelary figures to whom these different notions refer. There was however no question of confining ourselves to the Greco-Roman tradition alone. One of Vacheron Constantin's hallmarks is its openness to the world and to the different cultures it has encountered in the course of its commercial development since the early 19th century. With this new theme, the aim was to pay tribute to this cultural diversity that can be found in the Maison’s historical collections, by calling upon artistic crafts and on the ingenuity of Vacheron Constantin's watchmakers. In this context, Japanese myth provided an excellent field of study.
Which techniques were chosen for these three timepieces?
To bring these divinities to life, it was necessary to achieve perfect definition of lines and colouring, yet within an ethereal, almost blurred setting in order to give depth to these compositions that were created asymmetrically, in accordance with Japanese tradition. A single technique was therefore not enough. Engraving, which takes around 20 hours per dial, is used to set the scene, while the accuracy of miniature enamel painting lends a touch of realism to the painting after three weeks of painstaking work.
Why these deities?
This choice reflects the research carried out, which highlighted these divinities from Japanese myth not only for the central role they play in this cosmology, but also because of the 'graphic' depictions they inspired. It's always a question of finding the right balance between the themes chosen, the way they are created and sensitivity to artistic crafts.
Brand : | Vacheron Constantin |
Collection : | Cabinotiers |
Model : | Les Cabinotiers – Ode to Amaterasu |
Reference : | 1420C/000J-161C |
Complement : | Yellow Gold - Strap Satin |
On sale : | 2024 |
List Price : | On request |
Diameter : | 36 mm |
Thickness : | 8.00 mm |
Styles : | High Horology |
Types : | Self-winding |
Calibre : | 1440 |
Calibre distinction : | Hallmark of Geneva |
Complication : | Hours and minutes |
Case material : | Yellow gold |
Case peculiarity : | Transparent caseback Sapphire caseback |
Shape : | Round |
Dial : | Gold |
Strap material : | Satin |
Strap color : | Red |
Strap clasp : | Pin buckle |
More characteristics : | Movement Caliber 1440 Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin Mechanical self-winding 22.10 mm diameter, 2.60 mm thick Movement power reserve: approximately 42 hours 4 Hz (28’800 vibrations/hour) 116 components 19 jewels Case 18K 2N yellow gold Dial 18K gold, hand-engraved and hand-enamelled Grand Feu miniature, representing Amaterasu Strap / Buckles Red satin with beige lining, hand-stitched Clasp 18K 2N yellow gold pin buckle Presentation box & accessory Les Cabinotiers model Unique timepiece « Pièce unique », « Les Cabinotiers » and « AC » hallmark engraved on the back of the timepiece |