Additional information

Vacheron Constantin - 86222/000G-983

Metiers d'Art Les Univers Infinis Horsemen

Case

Dial

Description

Part of the second series of the Les Univers Infinis collection, inspired by the work of the Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis Escher, the 'Horsemen' was introduced in 2013. The collection displays a blend of the Artistic Crafts cultivated by the Geneva-based manufacture: engraving, enamelling, gemsetting, guilloche work and the new technique of gold and mother-of-pearl marquetry.

The majestic Ottoman horsemen with their inimitably proud bearing straddle the dial crafted in a superb gold and
mother-of-pearl marquetry pattern. The shimmering colours of the materials mingle in perfect harmony.

The art of marquetry has been practised since time immemorial. The Egyptians used it in the form of precious
stones and ivory inlaid into cosmetic cases and furniture. In the Middle Ages, Venice and the Byzantine empire
exported luxury objects to the West featuring black and white geometrical motifs created by inlaying gold, ivory
or mother-of-pearl into wooden veneers in a subtle range of lighter to darker shades.

The marquetry artist crafts a particularly complex object by adjusting two diametrically opposing materials. Each
horseman is first cut out from gold and mother-of-pearl before being meticulously assembled, like a puzzle, on a
gold base. There are no visible gaps between the figures ��C a tough challenge indeed within such a small space.
Mother-of-pearl calls for extreme attention, since it is extremely fragile and must feature the perfect combination
of thickness, specific colours and shapes, smoothly combining curves and straight lines in order to follow the
lines of its gold counterpart. At the end of the process, the engraver perfects the horsemen and horses by
hollowing out the details of their anatomy.

Movement

Automatic movement with center seconds, minutes and hours, developed and crafted in-house by Vacheron Constantin. Oscillating at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour, this self-winding calibre equipped with a 22-carat gold oscillating weight ensures an approximately 40-hour power reserve. In line with the grand tradition of calibres from the Manufacture, the bridges are manually cut out and bevelled, the sides are hand-drawn with file strokes and each screw is meticulously polished.

More watches using the Vacheron Constantin 2460 SC caliber