Vacheron Constantin supports the Louvre Museum in the “Bid for the Louvre” auction, which takes place from 1 to 15 December 2020 on the Christie’s website: all proceeds will be donated to the museum’s solidarity projects. Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers timepiece represents the only batch of fake watches among the exclusive pieces put up for auction. This is a natural contribution for the Manufacture, which testifies to the deep love for art and culture, but also to the commitment to safeguarding and transmitting heritage in all its forms. The buyer of this extraordinary piece will be able to personalize it by participating in its creation, together with the experts and master craftsmen of Vacheron Constantin and the Louvre. In addition to the dial, which will reproduce a work of art preserved in the Parisian museum, you will be able to choose the material of the case (platinum, pink gold or white gold) and have an engraving made on the caseback with lid; it can also match a strap chosen from the materials and colors available. This timepiece will be powered by the in-house caliber 2460 SC, made to the rigorous standards of fake Vacheron Constantin and Haute Horlogerie, both in terms of reliability and finish. For the buyer, the adventure will begin in Paris, during a private visit to the Louvre, in the company of an expert, who will help him choose the masterpiece to be reproduced in enamel on the dial from among the paintings and sculptures preserved in the museum. Depending on the customer’s choice and preferences, the Vacheron Constantin master enameller will use the technique of miniature on enamel or grisaille on enamel. The delicate savoir-faire of the enamel miniature, in the version known as the “Geneva technique”, dating back to the 18th century, is the exclusive prerogative of the most expert craftsmen, who mastered both pigments and firing. One of the greatest difficulties consists in composing a color palette that conforms to the original shades of the work, while being aware that multiple firings in the oven at more than 800 ° C can alter its color and brilliance. Grisaille enamel is a savoir-faire that dates back to the 16th century and consists of superimposing a veil of a rare white enamel (Limoges white) on a layer of dark enamel that covers the base of the gold dial. Each layer of enamel is then baked in the oven, respecting the cooking times per second. The buyer of this unique Les Cabinotier timepiece participates in the entire creative process and will be able to choose from multiple customization options during the private visit to the Vacheron Constantin Manufactory in Geneva, where he will meet the creative talents of the design studio, the master watchmakers, the enamellers. and the engravers engaged in making his watch. The case in platinum, rose gold or white gold, the engraving on the case and caseback with lid, the choice of strap – material, color, stitching and markings – are some of the many customization options of the timepiece, powered by the winding caliber automatic manufacture 2460 SC. The transparent caseback features a skeletonized 22-karat gold oscillating weight in the shape of a Maltese cross, symbol of Vacheron Constantin, as well as hand finishes, bevels, perlage and polishing: all carried out with the utmost respect for watchmaking know-how. At the end of this exclusive experience, the buyer will receive the timepiece along with two certificates of authenticity: one from Vacheron Constantin and the other from the Louvre Museum, which certifies the reproduction of the work of art.
