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Maître Cabinotier Retrograde Armillary Tourbillon |
Inspired by the
Reference 57260
On September 17, 2015, Vacheron Constantin unveiled a watch
with 57 complications — the most complicated watch ever made. This mechanical
wonder, devised by three master watchmakers from the company’s Atelier
Cabinotiers workshops, took eight years to develop and was presented to mark
Vacheron Constantin’s 260th anniversary. The one-off piece was made to a
special commission, using the latest technology to preserve the traditional
watchmaking principles certified by the Hallmark of Geneva. The research and
skill mobilized to create the superwatch remained a source of inspiration as
well as a development resource for its three watchmakers, who were at the same
time working to highlight some of its complications separately.
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A double-retrograde time display shares
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Double retrograde
system
The manually wound caliber 1990 movement developed and
manufactured by Vacheron Constantin features retrograde hours and minutes
indications with instant flyback. The double indications are as technically
fascinating as they are visually mesmerizing. The hands flick back to zero at
such a speed that the special attention is needed to ensure a precise
indication and such lightweight and resistant materials as the titanium used in
the hands.
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A lateral window reveals the Maltse Cross
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Armillary tourbillon
The lighting reaction of the retrograde hands contrasts with
the more stately pace of the armillary tourbillon with a spherical balance
spring. The elegantly structured tourbillon operates as a sphere perpetually
rotating on two axes under a sapphire crystal dome at 9 o'clock. It’s called an
armillary tourbillon because it is based on an armillary sphere like the one
incorporated in an astronomic clock made by the French clockmaker, Antide
Janvier, in the 18th century. The tourbillon is a visual evocation of the rings
and hoops of the ancient model of the celestial sphere. The spherical balance
spring, which was first developed by Jacques-Frédéric Houriet in 1814, is
particularly rare in today’s watches. The shape ensures the concentric
development of the spring and consequently the isochronism of the balance
wheel. The tourbillon carriage, made of lightweight aluminum alloy,
incorporates Vacheron Constantin’s Maltese Cross emblem, which forms up every
15 seconds as the tourbillon rotates. This ongoing spectacle may be admired
every 30 seconds through a sapphire crystal opening on the side of the case.
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Four patents are pending for features in caliber 1990. |
High-precision
movement
As fascinating as it is for its action and construction, the
armillary tourbillon achieves remarkable timekeeping precision. It is fitted
with a new type of escapement, developed and made by Vacheron Constantin that
has the escape wheel and lever in silicon with diamond pallet stones for
resistance to wear and long life. The escapement, made as lightweight as
possible by the use of high-tech materials, contributes significantly to the
performance of this watch, which greatly exceeds the requirements of the Swiss
Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). This level of precision is all
the more noteworthy considering the large amount of energy absorbed by the
double retrograde indications.
Contemporary styling
and finish
Another feature that makes the Maître Cabinotier retrograde
armillary tourbillon watch original is the modern styling applied to the
architecture and finish of the movement. The caliber 1990 is electro-plated
with an NAC treatment in a dark anthracite color creating a mirror-polished
effect. On the dial side the movement displays its modern architecture with
sharply cut bridges tempered by a sunburst satin finish and Geneva stripes.
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The dark anthracite finish is
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The
back presents a more conventional look, finished with Geneva stripes making an
elegant counterpoint to the contemporary face of this unparalleled watch in the
Vacheron Constantin product range. As an additional token of excellence, the
painstaking work of chamfering all the edges took more than 130 hours. The
indications are shown on two dials that partially cover the baseplate so as to
reveal the outlines and contemporary finish of the movement. On the right, the
retrograde minutes and hours hands describe a semicircle over a sunburst satin
finish punctuated by applied white-gold hour markers and a black minutes scale.
Placed symmetrically, the tourbillon carriage carries the seconds pointer
around a scale on a silvered disc. The Poinçon de Genève hallmark is
exceptionally also engraved on the dial side above the inscription “Armillary
Tourbillon” to certify the supreme quality of this timepiece.
Four patents are pending for the caliber 1990 inventive
features:
1. The instantaneous
retrograde system
The minutes cam alone determines when the hands for the
minutes and the hours fly back. The retrograde action of both hands is thus
synchronised at noon and at midnight.
The collet fixing the spring to the balance staff is made in
lightweight titanium to improve the isochronism of the balance. Titanium’s
weight and volume match those of the other materials in the regulating organ,
making the collet ideal for use in a tourbillon.
3. The multi-carriage
tourbillon
The tourbillion is made up of two carriages, one inside the
other. As they rotate they form a Maltese Cross every 15 seconds. The
tourbillon has a Vacheron escapement and sprung balance. The escape wheel is
made of silicon with a diamond-like coating, while the diamond pallet stones
have a very low coefficient of friction.
4. The lever
The silicon lever can be fitted with movable pallet stones
so that the watchmaker can adjust them as in a conventional pallet lever. The
diamond coating of the lever makes it stronger and more resistant to wear,
while the friction between the fork and impulse pin is markedly reduced.
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