Metiers d’art Watches With High Complications Are The Latest Must Have

Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie – Tribute to Johannes Vermeer pocket watch is a bespoke masterpiece that brings together several artisanal watchmaking crafts.

Powered by a new in-house movement, Calibre 3761, developed by the same watchmakers who designed the Ref. 57260 watch (a horological feat featuring a whopping 57 complications), this pocket watch is the product of eight years of intensive work.

The 806-part manual winding calibre is regulated by a tourbillon and equipped with grande sonnerie and petite sonnerie Westminster chimes, as well as a minute repeater. Befitting of this exceptional movement is an ornate gold hand-engraved case, as well as a miniature enamel reproduction of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring painting, created by acclaimed enameller Anita Porchet.

An exclusive series of six new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon watches represents the perfect marriage between haute horlogerie and haute joaillerie. The star piece is one of two rainbow models festooned with 12 different types of multicoloured gemstones, including rubies, tsavorites, emeralds, topaz, tanzanites, amethysts and coloured sapphires, all of which have been carefully selected for their vibrant and harmonious hues.

The hand-wound Calibre 2951, which can be admired from the openworked dial, boasts satin-finished bridges, polished angles, white lacquered decorations as well as a gem-set flying tourbillon.

It’s been 20 years since Patek Philippe first premiered the Sky Moon Tourbillon, its most complicated wristwatch at one time. This year, it presents the latest variation, Ref. 6002R-001, featuring an elaborately designed rose gold case that took more than 100 hours of work to decorate.

It is paired with a brown enamel dial featuring a dial centre adorned with grand feu cloisonné enamel that was created with the help of thin flat gold wire. The periphery of the dial and moonphase indicator are executed in champlevé enamel to achieve a more three-dimensional effect.