Vacheron Constantin Maître Cabinotier Retrograde Armillary Tourbillon
Prestigious Swiss watch manufacture Vacheron Constantin unveils Maître Cabinotier retrograde armillary tourbillon, a unique type of watch that takes up the two original complications of the most complicated watch ever made, the Ref. 57260 that incorporates 57 complications.
Certified by the Hallmark of Geneva, The Vacheron Constantin Maître Cabinotier retrograde armillary tourbillon was produced by the three master watchmakers who created Ref. 57260. In this brand new wristwatch, the manufacture has incorporated two of the complicated features of the superwatch: the armillary tourbillon and the double retrograde indication.
Its contemporary styling opens the remarkable structure of the calibre 1990 movement to view. The high-precision manually wound movement is housed in a 45.7mm case in white gold. Four patent applications have been filed for this unique model.
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 mobilised to create the Ref. 57260 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.
The Vacheron Constantin Maître Cabinotier retrograde armillary tourbillon model is the first born of this project. It’s a remake of two of the Ref. 57260’s complications, the double retrograde indications and the armillary tourbillon, in a contemporary guise. The retrograde function governs the hours and minutes while the tourbillon revolves on two axes and has a spherical balance-spring.
The movement coated with NAC (a special metal alloy) is also revealed through lateral windows in its imposing case. This timepiece forms part of the select Maître Cabinotier collection, which showcases Vacheron Constantin’s horological achievements, customised work and overall excellence.
The manually wound calibre 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 mesmerising. 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.
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 aluminium 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.
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.
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 calibre 1990 is electro-plated with an NAC treatment in a dark anthracite colour 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.
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 calibre 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.
2. The collet: 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.
Technical details
Model: Vacheron Constantin Maître Cabinotier Retrograde Armillary Tourbillon, Reference 91990/000G-9882
Certification
Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
Movement
Caliber 1990
Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, manual-winding
35 mm (15’’’ ¾) diameter, 10 mm thick
Approximately 65 hours of power reserve
2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations/hour)
299 components
45 jewels
NAC treatment
Indications
Instantaneous retrograde hours
Instantaneous retrograde minutes
Small seconds at 9 o’clock on tourbillon carriage
2-axis armillary tourbillon
Case
18K white gold
45.7 mm diameter, 20.06 mm thick
Transparent sapphire crystal caseback
Water-resistance tested at a pressure of 3 bar (approx. 30 meters)
Dials
Hours/minutes dial: Silver-colored, sun satin-finished, 18K white gold applied hour-markers, painted minute-track
Seconds dial: Silver-colored, sun satin-finished, painted minute track
Hands: Titanium
Strap
Black Mississippiensis alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell, hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square scales
Clasp
18K white gold triple-blade folding clasp
Polished half Maltese cross-shaped
Unique timepiece
« Pièce Unique » engraved on caseback
