Vacheron Constantin Armillary Tourbillon Myth of the Pleiades

Vacheron Constantin, a watchmaking house with an uninterrupted history stretching back to 1755, is marking its 270th anniversary. This is a milestone that few companies of any kind achieve, and in the world of watchmaking, it places the brand in a rarefied stratum. To commemorate this event, the Geneva-based manufacture has unveiled a new series of timepieces under the banner of 'La Quête', a French title that translates to 'The Quest'. This collection is a tribute to the foundational pillars of timekeeping: astronomy and the grand odysseys of human exploration.



This celebratory series finds its home within Vacheron Constantin's most exclusive department: Les Cabinotiers. This is not a standard production line, but an atelier in the 18th-century tradition, where master watchmakers and artisans collaborate to create bespoke, one-of-a-kind commissions. These are pieces that blend extreme mechanical complexity with a profound level of artistic craft. Each watch is, by definition, a unique creation, representing a singular vision.



The 'La Quête' series zeroes in on humanity's enduring fascination with the stars and the epic myths that sought to explain them. It draws inspiration from the great conquerors and explorers of ancient times, whose journeys were guided by the celestial map above them. It is a fitting theme, as the very act of watchmaking is an attempt to miniaturize and master the astronomical cycles that govern our lives.



Within this new series, one piece stands as a singular monument to this concept: the Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon – Myth of the Pleiades. As its name suggests, this watch is a direct homage to the cluster of stars known as the "Seven Sisters," a narrative set in 18K rose gold and sapphire crystal. It is a single-piece edition, meaning only one will ever be made, blending a highly complex, patented movement with an astonishing display of sculptural engraving.



The mythological foundation of the watch is the Greek legend of the Pleiades. As the story goes, they were the seven daughters of the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid nymph Pleione. Their names—Maia, Electra, Taygete, Alcyone, Celaeno, Sterope, and Merope—have been passed down through millennia. They were companions to the goddess Artemis and were said to be exceptionally beautiful.



This beauty attracted the unwanted attention of the hunter Orion, who, upon seeing them, began a relentless pursuit that lasted for seven years. Fleeing from his advances, the sisters prayed to Zeus for deliverance. The king of the gods answered, first transforming them into doves so they could fly away, and then, to grant them immortality and permanent safety, placing them in the heavens as a constellation.



The story does not end there. Orion, after his own death, was also placed in the sky as a constellation, positioned to forever continue his chase of the sisters across the celestial vault. Zeus, in a final act of protection, placed Taurus, the celestial bull, between the hunter and the Pleiades, with its menacing horns warning Orion away. This entire mythological drama plays out in the night sky.



Beyond its mythological importance, this star cluster had an immediate and practical application for ancient civilizations. The Pleiades served as a crucial navigation point. For sailors on the open ocean, the appearance of this cluster high in the sky signaled the right time for safe sailing. Its position was a vital reference point on ancient maritime routes, directly linking the mythical stories of the gods to the very real-world odysseys of human exploration. This watch uses that exact narrative as its artistic and technical blueprint.



The watch is housed in a substantial 18K 4N rose gold case that measures 45 mm in diameter. What is truly striking is its thickness: 20.13 mm. This immense height is not for shock value; it is a necessity, required to contain the sheer mechanical depth of the movement and the highly domed sapphire crystal that acts as a cupola over the complex dial. This gold case serves as the three-dimensional canvas for a story told entirely by hand.



The case band, a surface often left polished or brushed, has been given over to a master engraver for a process that took 450 hours to complete. This is not simple line engraving; it is bas-relief micro-sculpture. The engraver has carved directly into the solid gold, removing material to create a panoramic scene teeming with depth and life.



On the crown side of the case, the narrative of the myth is vividly depicted. Here, the hunter Orion emerges from a bank of swirling clouds, his sword and shield in hand. He is sculpted in a dynamic, aggressive pose, ready to do battle. Facing him is the bull, Taurus, sent by Zeus to protect the stars. The detail is staggering, from the musculature on Orion's form to the texture of the bull's hide.



On the opposite side of the case, the theme of navigation is brought to the forefront. The mythical ship Argos, famous for its own quest for the Golden Fleece, is shown sailing across a tumultuous sea. The sail of the ship bears the image of the protective goddess Athena. The waves are populated by fantastical sea monsters, chimeras, and dolphins, all carved with individual character. Above them, guiding the Argos on its journey, is the constellation of Taurus, representing the Pleiades as the navigational beacon.



The artistic process to achieve this is painstaking. The engraver first uses a drypoint tool to sketch the outlines of the figures onto the gold. Then, using a burin, the artist begins the deep work of removing material, with incisions going as deep as one millimeter to create the foundational volumes. This is followed by the micro-sculpting, where the final, precise details of the figures, clouds, and waves are brought to life. The tools must be sharpened constantly to maintain the micron-level precision required.



Adding another layer of artistry, the sculpture is integrated with gem-setting. Ten brilliant-cut diamonds, in two different sizes (0.6 mm and 0.9 mm), are meticulously bezel-set directly into the engraved landscape. These diamonds represent the Pleiades. While mythology counts seven sisters, the open cluster contains thousands of stars, with about ten being visible to the naked eye, a detail Vacheron Constantin has faithfully represented. Six diamonds dot the sky on Orion's side, while four are set within the sculpture of Taurus on the other.



The decoration is not limited to the case sides. The bezel, the lugs, and the caseback are all adorned with a wave-shaped champlevé engraving in a classical Hellenic style. This technique involves carving troughs into the metal and then meticulously polishing the raised ridges, creating a pattern that is both uniform and texturally complex. The engraver even decorated the space between the bull's horns with three other nearby constellations—Aries, Musca, and Gemini—in a final nod to the astronomical theme.



Turning to the dial, the watch presents its information with a dramatic, technical flair. The layout is bifurcated. The entire right side is dedicated to the time display, while the left side is a massive, open aperture for the watch's primary complication. A large, highly domed sapphire crystal, rising from the bezel like an observatory, sits over the left side, providing a clear, magnified view of the mechanism within.



Time is indicated via a bi-retrograde system. On the right, a semi-circular track features Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes. Two blued titanium hands sweep across these arcs. At the stroke of 12 (both midday and midnight), both hands perform an instantaneous jump, snapping back to their starting positions at zero. This system requires a robust and precise mechanism, as the forces involved in the instantaneous return are significant. The choice of titanium for the hands is a functional one; its superior lightness and strength, compared to steel, allow it to withstand the repeated shock of the retrograde action without deforming or faltering.



At the heart of this timepiece, and giving it its name, is the hand-wound Calibre 1990. This is a movement born from the technical advancements Vacheron Constantin achieved with its legendary Reference 57260, the most complicated watch ever made. The Calibre 1990 is a marvel of kinetic art, dominated by the bi-axial armillary tourbillon visible at 9 o'clock.



The term 'armillary' harks back to the 18th-century French watchmaker Antide Janvier, who created moving, sphere-like models of the solar system, known as armillary spheres, to explain the movements of the stars. This tourbillon visually evokes that same scientific instrument. It is composed of two lightweight aluminum cages, nested one inside the other.



This entire structure rotates on two different axes simultaneously, with each cage completing a rotation every minute. The effect is a mesmerizing, three-dimensional ballet, a sphere in perpetual motion. As the cages rotate, their architecture aligns every 15 seconds to form the shape of a Maltese cross, the iconic emblem of Vacheron Constantin. This mechanism also serves as the small-seconds display.



The regulating organ within this complex tourbillon is just as special. It features a spherical balance spring. First invented by Jacques-Frédéric Houriet in 1814, this type of hairspring is exceptionally rare in modern watchmaking. Unlike a flat spring, a spherical spring has no terminal curves, allowing it to "breathe" more concentrically. This concentric beat provides superior isochronism, which in turn leads to greater timekeeping precision. Producing such a spring is an immense challenge, requiring micron-level accuracy that few craftspeople possess.



The escapement that receives impulses from this spring is equally advanced. It beats at a steady 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz) and is constructed with a titanium anchor and diamond pallets. This high-tech combination drastically reduces friction without the need for lubrication, ensuring greater long-term reliability and wear resistance.



The technical prowess of the Calibre 1990 is further secured by four distinct patents. The first is for the instantaneous retrograde system itself, which is cleverly controlled by just the minute cam, ensuring perfect synchronization of the hour and minute hand jumps. The second is for the titanium escape wheel collet, a component whose lightness is essential for maintaining the isochronism of the regulator.



The third patent covers the unique architecture of the tourbillon cages, which are specifically designed to create the Maltese cross visual. The fourth patent applies to the high-performance titanium lever with its diamond-coated pallets, acknowledging the innovative use of materials to optimize the escapement's function.



Despite the high-torque demands of the instantaneous bi-retrograde display and the power-hungry armillary tourbillon, the Calibre 1990 provides a respectable 60-hour power reserve. The entire movement has been certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), a testament to its precision and performance under duress.



The finishing of the movement, visible from both the front and the back, is executed to the highest standards. On the dial side, the nickel silver main plate is given a "soft champagne" tone, enhancing the rose gold of the case. It features a circular satin finish, while other visible components are perfectly beveled and polished.



Flipping the watch over reveals a sapphire caseback, offering a view of the movement's more traditional architecture. Here, the bridges are decorated with horizontal Côtes de Genève and are meticulously hand-beveled. A constellation of blued screws provides a sharp, technical contrast against the warm tones of the bridges and plates.



The watch is secured to the wrist with a dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather strap, its color chosen to evoke the celestial night sky and match the blued hands. The strap is hand-stitched and features a lining of alligator leather. It is fastened by an 18K 4N pink gold folding clasp, which itself has been hand-engraved with a pattern that complements the artistry of the case.



The Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon – Myth of the Pleiades is, by its very nature, not a watch one can simply acquire. It is designated as a "Unique piece," a one-of-one creation. The engravings on the caseback confirm this, bearing the "Les Cabinotiers" and "AC" (Atelier Cabinotiers) coat of arms. It exists as the ultimate expression of the 'La Quête' theme, a singular object where mythology, astronomy, and the highest forms of watchmaking craft converge.



Case: 750/1000 4N pink gold, 45 mm diameter, 20.13 mm thickness. Hand-engraved case sides sculpted in bas-relief and set with 10 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.02 ct). Transparent sapphire crystal caseback. Water resistance tested to 3 bar (approx. 30 metres).

Movement: Calibre 1990, developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin. Mechanical with manual winding. 35.50 mm diameter, 10 mm thickness. Approximately 60-hour power reserve. 2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations/hour). 299 components, 45 jewels. Certified by the Hallmark of Geneva.

Dial: 4N pink gold colour with sunray satin finish. Circular satin-finished hour markers and minute track. Retrograde hours and minutes indications. Blue titanium hands.

Strap: Dark blue *Mississippiensis* alligator leather with alligator leather lining, hand-stitched, saddle-stitched finish, large square scales. Hand-engraved 4N 750/1000 pink gold folding clasp.

Price: Upon Request

Reference Number: 9890C/000R-273C

Notes: Single-piece edition. Features a bi-axial armillary tourbillon (forming a Maltese cross every 15 seconds) and bi-retrograde time indications. Calibre 1990 is protected by four patents. The case engraving took 450 hours to complete.