Master And Commander

In an age of laser guided CNC machines and advanced material sciences, can two Houses with a shared passion for precision and artisanal expertise create an object that answers all objective standards of luxury craftsmanship without losing sight of tradition?

- JONATHAN HO

TRADITION IS THE ILLUSION of permanence and it often carries the pressure (and sometimes, duty) to conform and cater to “the way things have always been done”. But with Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon designed exclusively for Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail, it’s clear that this isn’t what happened; and for a brand as steeped in legacy and heritage as these two, the objet d’art that has been birthed is nothing less than revolutionary.

In response to bespoke commission from a client who collects both luxury cars and fine watches, Vacheron Constantin created the unique Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon, designed to fit into the fascia of this equally exquisite Rolls-Royce Coachbuild.

Objet d’Art

The French term objet d’art describes an ornamental work of art, but this objet is no mere ornament. A complication conceived as a means of compensating for chronometric imprecision resulting from pocket watches remaining vertical in the vests of wellcoifed, three-piece suit-wearing gentlemen, this gravity-compensating device is no mere tourbillon either.

While “tourbillon” might be commonly understood horological nomenclature to watch enthusiasts today, given its less than uncommon status in product lines, the addition of “Armillary” prefix refers to a high complication of immense rarity and exclusivity to the House of Vacheron Constantin. The term is a nod to the work of 18th-century French watchmaker Antide Janvier, who invented a moving sphere with a planetary gear known as an armillary.