Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle “Catcher of Time”

Vacheron Constantin has introduced a limited edition of pair watches on the NET-A-PORTER flagship store on Tmall Luxury Pavilion in China. The Traditionnelle “Catcher of Time” timepieces epitomize La Belle Horlogerie by combining technical achievements and the Maison’s craftsmanship unique know-how. They are are presented in limited edition of 22 pieces each with individual numbers.

Spreading the entire part of the dial, a hand-guilloché decor picking up the elegant “Clous de Paris” motif, endows the two limited-edition watches a romantic name “Catcher of Time”. The infinity of the “Clous de Paris” motif forms a space of “web” as a catcher of time. Hand-guilloché is a decorative technique in which a very precise, intricate and repetitive pattern, manually-operated by using a “guilloche” machine, to engrave into an underlying material via engine turning. As a combination of highly technical and incredibly craftsmanship challenges, hand-guilloché was used in the Maison’s dial decoration of pocket watches as early as 1780, and was widely adopted by the watchmaking industry in the 19th century.

Round “étagé” case and lugs, slim bezel, fluted case-back, “bâtons de Genève” applied hour-markers, rail-track minute-circle and dauphine-type hands: the two new limited-edition models combine the signatures of the Traditionnelle collection and showcase the technical refinement conveyed through eminently horological characteristics.

Graced with the sized 38 mm-diameter 18K 5N pink gold case, the men’s model features a date window and small seconds at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock with a simple display. The timepiece is equipped with the mechanical self-winding caliber 2455 developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin, including a comfortable 40-hour power reserve. To provide a more accurate time setting, the caliber features a special device for stopping the seconds hand when adjusting the time. Moreover, the construction and finishing of the caliber with a 22K gold rotor featuring a pattern inspired by the Maltese cross.

The lady’s version adopts a 36 mm-diameter pink gold case, the 81 round brilliant-cut diamonds (1.15 ct) finely set on the bezel, lugs and crown. The calibre 1410AS, entirely developed and crafted by the Maison, features one of the most poetic watchmaking complications: the precision moon phases, required to be adjusted only once in every 122 years. In addition to the hours, minutes, small seconds and moon phases, the Manufacture movement offers a pointer-type indication of its power reserve at 10 o’clock.

The Traditionnelle “Catcher of Time” Limited Edition timepieces mirror the most demanding Geneva Haute Horlogerie traditions inherited from the 18th century.