I only really took notice of Van Cleef et Arpels when they launched the Midnight in Paris astronomical watch a year or two back. Prior to that VC&A had some fairly interesting small complications like alarm watches and chronographs, as well as a unique lateral power reserve, but nothing that caught my eye. Last year’s launch of the Midnight in Paris made me realise, belatedly, that VC&A is worth watching.
After viewing the 2009 collection I have come to the conclusion that a lady can build a decently large watch collection that includes high jewellery as well as complications, with only VC&A watches. The VC&A collection is wide enough and interesting enough to do that.
But we’ll begin with Midnight collection, a range of men’s mechanical watches. While these are all 40 mm and will look fine on a men’s wrist, most of them are too delicate looking and would look better on a female wrist in my opinion. To work on a man’s wrist they would need more angular cases, the current cases are too rounded. One of the key strengths of VC&A is its elaborately conceived and marvellously executed dials, the Midnight collection is an excellent example of this.
First is the Midnight Tourbillon Aventurine, a 100 piece limited edition in white gold with diamonds set on the case and bezel. The dial is aventurine glass, which resembles a natural semiprecious stone but is actually glass developed in 16th century Italy. It is made with made with copper elements, explaining the glittering flecks on the dial.
Like all the other VC&A tourbillions, the movement is a flying tourbillion calibre made by Piaget. Significantly, VC&A uses movements provided by other Richemont brands, which assures that its calibres have a minimum level of technical quality and sophistry.
Next is the Midnight Les Jardins (‘garden’) collection inspired by different types of gardens: Jardin à la Française, Jardin romantique anglais, Jardin d’Extrême and Jardin italien de la Renaissance. Nature is a key design theme for VC&A, hence the gardens concept.
Chinese Garden tourbillon
A total of eight models are presented in this collection, one tourbillion and one automatic for each of the gardens, with each being a limited edition of eight pieces. One notable difference between the two the display backs on the tourbillions which reveal movement bridges inlaid with mother-of-pearl, while the automatic watches have solid backs engraved with motifs echoing the dial.
Mother-of-pearl inlaid bridges of the tourbillon
Cases are either platinum or white gold, and available with or without diamonds. The dials use a variety of precious and semiprecious stones, as well as fired enamel to achieve the various garden motifs.
English Garden automatic
Italian garden automatic
Often dials with such designs come across as awkward if not cheap looking, but these look finely made and costly, which is quite an achievement. I particularly like the Chinese garden automatic, it is mildly kitschy in concept but the mother-of-pearl and gold inlaid dial is wonderful. I wish I could have photographed all eight watches in this collection, the dials are truly stunning.
Chinese Garden automatic
In addition to the Midnight, VC&A’s other collection of mechanical watches is the Poetic Complications.
Originally available only in rose gold, the Midnight in Paris is now presented in white gold, with or without diamonds on the case. Case diameter remains 42 mm. I liked the rose gold Midnight in Paris tremendously, I like the white gold one even more.
The dial is aventurine glass below a translucent quartz crystal. On the back of the watch the day and month are indicated, with a ring of meteorite around the movement. This is a beautifully executed watch. Notably it is the only mechanical star chart wristwatch I know of that is priced below six figures (in USD, EUR and CHF).
Interestingly, VC&A launched a Midnight in Kuala Lumpur last year, which displays the sky over the Malaysian capital. I have yet to find out if VC&A will continue to create additional astronomical watches for other cities. UPDATE: Benjamin Vuchot, the Managing Director for VC&A Hong Kong, just informed me that it will create Midnight watches displaying the star chart for any location upon special request. In fact, the brand recently received an order from a couple who wanted the star chart of the city in which they got married 20 years ago.
Another Poetic Complication, this time for ladies, is the Une journée à Paris (A Journey through Paris). Housed in a 36 mm rose or white gold case, the watch has an onyx disc that makes a full rotation over 24 hours and depicted on the disc are gold silhouettes doing various things in Paris like admiring the Eiffel Tower and visiting the Tuileries Garden. This is not a mechanically complicated nor is it elaborate, but it is refreshingly simple and elegant watch.
The last watch is a the Timeless XL, a Cartier Bagnoire-esque watch in white gold with a quartz movement. It is an elegant watch with an inelegant name. Previously this was only available in a smaller size. VC&A makes far, far more interesting ladies’ watches than this one.
This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-02-01 23:03:18 This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-02-02 22:49:52