The Maitre Cabinotier Astronomica, spearhead among the Vacheron Constantin fake watches featured at the Watch & Wonders 2014 which ended yesterday 2 October, is a “beast” of 15 complications, a tribute to mechanical fine watchmaking at the service of astronomy.
When Vacheron Constantin signs a Maître Cabinotier timepiece it is a certified declaration of absolute exclusivity.
It is a unique piece that draws inspiration from the Tour de l’Ile released in 2005. At the time it was the most complicated wristwatch in the world (ed. The most complicated by far was the famous Patek Philippe Calbre 89 pocket watch) .
The Caliber 2755-B1 that animates the Maître Cabinotier Astronomica is among the most complex ever made by the brand, and among other things it presents complications focused on reading the stars. In addition to the hours and minutes, there are eleven complications on board, the latter all marked on the front dial.
Minute repeater
Equation of time
Tourbillon
Perpetual calendar with date, day of the week, month, leap years
Power reserve
Indication of the time of sunrise and sunset
The interpretation of the minute repeater has always been one of replica Vacheron Constantin‘s excellences. The presence of a centripetal flying ringtone regulator mechanism, which I discussed in detail here, allows to eliminate the background noise and listen to the notes of the chimes in all their purity.
The equation of time is indicated through a short sphere at 10.30 and as you already know it is by far one of the most fascinating astronomical complications. It marks the difference between the calendar year and the calendar year. By convention it was decided that every year lasts 365.25 days, every day in 24 hours and every hour in 60 minutes. The equation of time instead marks the real time with the only help of cams, levers and wheels, the one traced by the Sun during its elliptical orbits which therefore changes according to the day in a range -16 / + 16 minutes.
The tourbillon is in its traditional place at 6 o’clock. The upper deck is as usual in the shape of the Maltese Cross, the symbol of the Maison, and by completing a complete rotation in one minute it also functions as a small seconds indicator.
The perpetual calendar follows the Gregorian calculation which in 2100, 2200 and 2300 the leap year will be ignored, while there was in 2000 and there will be in 2400, 2800 and so on in steps of 400 years. The day of the week is displayed at 9 o’clock, the month at 12 o’clock and the date at 3 o’clock; the leap year indicator is at 1 o’clock.
It is in the second quadrant that this timepiece reveals the same DNA as the Tour de l’Ile. With the help of four complications, which make up fifteen in total, it displays seven interesting astronomical functions:
Sky card
Solstice
Equinox
Sidereal hour
Moon age and phases
Seasons
Zodiac signs
It is rare if not unique to find all these astral complications combined in a single watch. The dial on the back features an arrangement of the calculations made on two levels. The central disc shows a map of the sky and the four cardinal points seen from the Northern hemisphere. The months of the year and the sidereal time corresponding to solar time are inside two symmetrical windows respectively at the bottom and at the top.
This last indication is absolutely necessary because it allows the watchmakers in the Cabinotier department to adjust the sky chart according to the reference city chosen by the customer. The small hand, pointing to the edge of the first level of the dial, provides information regarding the age of the Moon, ie the number of days that have passed since the last full moon.
The long and thin central hand is made unique by a Sun placed on its counterweight; cross the dial to indicate the date on the far edge of the disc. This hand also indicates the zodiac sign, the season and the equinox or solstice corresponding to the current date. At the equinox the duration of day and night are equivalent while at the solstice there are the maximum or minimum of hours of light. The latter happens twice a year: around 21 June the summer solstice occurs and around 21 December the winter solstice. The days close to the summer solstice are the longest of the year while those close to the winter solstice are the shortest. Of course, the equinoxes are also detected, which are the two days of the year in which the Sun changes the celestial hemisphere and passes at its zenith on the earth’s equator. The equinox occurs twice a year, between 19 and 21 March and between 22 and 23 September, a period that corresponds by convention to 21 March and 21 September, the beginning of spring and autumn.
In a show piece of this kind, of course, the finishes are also pulled to the highest levels: starting from the perlage of the plate, passing through the anglage of the decorated bridges in Cótes de Genève, to grasp the bevel of the bars of the tourbillon cage.
The white gold case measures a whopping 47mm in diameter, huge but standard size for ultra-complicated timepieces like this one. More details on the manufacturer’s website.
Concluding and always remaining within its XXL measures, assuming you became the second, third .. etc. lucky owner of a Maitre Cabinotier Astronomica, would you think of wearing it while moving on the subway?