Vacheron Constantin has just unveiled a breathtaking new series of exceptional pieces that pays a tribute to art and culture - Métiers d’Art Hommage à l’Art de la Danse.
The new Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art collection features three unique creations, each stamped with the Poinçon de Geneve (Hallmark of Geneva). The watches are decorated using the ancient technique of Grand Feu grisaille enameling, and they are paying a tribute to the work of famous French artist Edgar Degas. Degas, who is one of the most distinguished figures of the Impressionist movement, was captivated by the subject of dance. More than half of his work depict dancers, highlight the art of classical ballet. Vacheron Constantin, a patron of the Opéra National de Paris, has chosen to celebrate ballet with the new Métiers d’Art series.
The new creations that reinterpret certain works by Edgar Degas were unveiled at the gala evening for the tercentenary of the École Française de Danse, held on April 15th 2013 in the Palais Garnier.
The three first Métiers d’Art Hommage a l’Art de la Danse are entirely crafted in the workshops of the Manufacture, using the demanding technique of the Grand Feu grisaille enameling. In grisaille, the image is created in the shade of grey and carefully modeled to create an illusion or relief, or almost a sculpture. Grisaille is typically applied to black enamel, but the artisans of Vacheron Constantin have decided to work on a translucent brown enamel to accentuate de depth effect even further. The touches of Limoges white enamel are applied on the base and then drawn out with thin needles, brushes and cactus thorns to create subtle gradation of shades.
Each of the dials depicts a scene from one of these three paintings - Ballet Room at the Opera in Rue le Peletier, 1874, oil on canvas on display at the Musée d’Orsay (Paris, France); Ballet Rehearsal, 1873, oil on canvas exhibited at the Fogg Art Museum (Cambridge, United States) ; and Two Dancers on Stage, 1874, oil on canvas on show at the Courtauld Gallery (London, United Kingdom). The dials are nested in finely polished 40 mm-diameter cases made from 18 carats white gold. Their transparent case-back reveals the in-house mechanical hand-wound caliber 2460 SC movement composed of 182 components. The mechanism beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz) and offers at least 40 hours of power reserve.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Hommage à l’Art de la Danse reference numbers:
86090/000G-9870 – The dance class
86090/000G-9880 – The rehearsal
86090/000G-9881 – Two dancers on stage
Author: Marina Milojevic
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