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July 14, 2020
A Unique Piece Worldwide! The Métiers d'Art Les Aéronautes de l'Intrépide 'Tokyo' Model | VACHERON CONSTANTIN
VACHERON CONSTANTIN
A Unique Piece Worldwide: Tokyo's Skyline Rendered in Miniature on the Dial
Vacheron Constantin has released a new, one-of-a-kind model inspired by Tokyo for its "Métiers d'Art Les Aéronautes de l'Intrépide" collection, depicting the city's nocturnal panorama on its dial.
Text by OZAKI Sayaka | Edit by TSUCHIDA Takashi
Cityscapes Emerge Through Original Techniques
The "Métiers d'Art Les Aéronautes de l'Intrépide" series features dials adorned with urban landscapes, depicted as if viewed from a bird's-eye perspective, set against a dark enameled base. Following the initial four models dedicated to the enchanting nightscapes of Geneva, Paris, New York, and Beijing, a new Tokyo model has been unveiled, produced as a unique worldwide piece.
This truly unique piece is a fusion of the Grand Feu champlevé enamel technique, passed down through nearly three centuries at Vacheron Constantin, and the innovative method developed by Japanese artist Yoko Imai. Inspired by calligraphy, she paints on canvas using powders of precious materials. For this watch, she meticulously applies minute powders of gold, pearl, platinum, and diamond by hand onto the dial.
This delicate and opulent artwork captures a sprawling cityscape through tens of thousands of meticulously placed points of light, with roads, rivers, and iconic structures rendered with striking realism through their luminous effect. In Yoko Imai's miniature paintings, the urban vista is translated into a lifelike representation. She establishes an ideal vantage point overlooking each city, expressing vibrant locales and traffic density through varied light effects. This highly sophisticated miniature is the result of several weeks of research and preparatory work, faithfully recreating a "map of light."
Vacheron Constantin's master enamellers used champlevé enamel to define the streets, gardens, and river courses. Next, the gold dial is manually hollowed out along the predetermined contours, and layers of transparent colored enamel are applied and coated, with the dial fired at a high temperature of 850°C after each coating. To achieve the distinctive nocturnal ambiance for this "Métiers d'Art Les Aéronautes de l'Intrépide" series, the artisans masterfully combined translucent and dark hues.
This unique piece, crafted by hand over more than three months, is exclusively available as a worldwide limited edition of one at Vacheron Constantin boutiques.
Métiers d'Art Les Aéronautes de l'Intrépide Tokyo
Ref. | 86222/000G-B106
Movement | Self-winding (CAL. 2460 SC)
Power Reserve | Approx. 40 hours
Case Material | 18K White Gold
Case Diameter | 40mm
Strap Material | Black Mississippiensis alligator leather
Water Resistance | 3 bar
Price | ¥11,600,000 (preliminary, excluding tax)
Quantity | World limited to 1 piece
Sales | Available exclusively at Vacheron Constantin boutiques
