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The mid section has two sides. This is the back side. Featuring a constellation chart.
The clock essentially has three separate sections; the top is the sphere with the automaton; the middle has celestial indications and a perpetual calendar indication. And the bottom houses the memory system and gears that control much of the automaton system, the chiming system, and more.
The automaton has 144 different positions and has a mechanical memory system.
The clock is made of various types of stone, but the transparent panels in the lower tripartite are not glass nor sapphire, they are rock crystal!
Vacheron Constantin La Quete du Temps Clock
Vacheron Constantin has created an incredible clock with an automaton feature, a chiming feature, astronomical indications, and more. Seven years in the making, over a meter in height, 200+ kilograms, 6293 parts, this is definitely an incredible clock.
The automaton has 144 unique positions. The chiming feature incorporates several different gongs to produce different tones and sequences. The entire piece has a 15 day power reserve and countless complications.
La Quete du Temps is on display at The Louvre Museum in Paris until 12-November-2025.
The piece is a unique piece, no price is listed. This piece is part of Vacheron Constantin's 270th anniversary celebration!
The mid section has two sides. This is the back side. Featuring a constellation chart.
The clock essentially has three separate sections; the top is the sphere with the automaton; the middle has celestial indications and a perpetual calendar indication. And the bottom houses the memory system and gears that control much of the automaton system, the chiming system, and more.
The automaton has 144 different positions and has a mechanical memory system.
The clock is made of various types of stone, but the transparent panels in the lower tripartite are not glass nor sapphire, they are rock crystal!
As a clock fanatic, I have had the pleasure of experiencing many automatons and their restorers, Miki Eleta's creations, the Van Cleef and Arpels automaton clocks. This one is truly a special piece. A heartfelt congratulations to Vacheron Constantin, the team behind this clock, and I wish the Maison a very happy 270th birthday. Bravo. Bravo Vacheron Constantin.
This is the stuff that
sets the holy trinity apart from the independents. The willingness to make a thing with no other reason than to make it.
There are also clocks bravely made by tiny independents too!
Breguet isn't even considered among the "Big Three" and Breguet has made impressive clocks that likely surpass AP's finest and most elaborate clock.
Miki Eleta's Hammock Clock
Miki Eleta's Svemir (Universe) clock. One of my favorite creations of his.
My absolute favorite Miki Eleta clock; Passage of Time. One of the six finalists for the clock category for the GPHG 2023.
No computers, no CNC.
Miki Eleta's Hammock Clock
Miki Eleta's Svemir (Universe) clock. One of my favorite creations of his.
My absolute favorite Miki Eleta clock; Passage of Time. One of the six finalists for the clock category for the GPHG 2023.
No computers, no CNC.
I will try to see this one next October !
The 'bras-en-l'air' wristwatch seems nice too.
Thanks for sharing this.
Best, Emmanuel
You're welcome Emmanuel!
I might try to see it in October as well! Maybe we will have a little rendezvous in the First Arrondissement!
Agreed. What an amazing clock!
In some ways, it's built more like a watch than a clock. Not that I'm complaining of course!
Oui oui! Haute art!
Do you find it a little unusual, the art market has progressed and appreciated so much. The watch market has appreciated so much. But the clock market is so stagnant. There are a few reasons for this. The two biggest reasons slowing down clocks; 1, cultural; the Chinese community believes that clocks can never be given as a gift as it symbolizes your time is up whereas watches are given as gifts in every culture; 2, watches and art are seen as status symbols, clocks aren't. But with the many watch collectors out there, I would hope that more clocks enter the market!
Yes, mentalities have to change. BUT, think about that: How many people in the world are ok to pay more than 5 K Euros for a wrist watch??? So, for a clock, it may be even more problematic.
But among the watch obsessed...
Among the watch obsessed, many will own the equivalent of a large car to a small house in watches! But many of those watch obsessed with million-Euro watch collections don't have a single clock worth even 20,000 Euros! A little surprising.
Not that I'm complaining of course. I'm just wondering if one day clocks will become a big thing!
What a way for Vacheron Constantin to celebrate its 270th birthday that creation is just incredible and even more so than the watch.
I can't even imagine how many man hours it took to design it and then the number of skilled artisans it took to build this incredible clock. It is so beautiful and complex if I was ever fortunate enough to see it in person I could get lost in just looking at it for hours. Also those other clocks are also really stunning so thank you for this post as I otherwise doubt I would even know they existed.
Marc.
You only turn 270 once!
Agreed. The team was over a dozen persons. And took over seven years. What a collaborative effort. Vacheron Constantin is the only watch company that has been in continuous operation for 270 years. There are older watch brands (like Blancpain), but they haven't been in continuous operation. I suggest you hightail it to The Continent and visit Le Louvre - a short flight or long train ride away. If you plan it out right, you could conceivably leave early in the morning and be back home late at night on the same day! VC is inviting everyone in the world to The Louvre museum to celebrate its 270th birthday! This way you can be a part of the VC birthday in person!
As great an idea as that is the travel to Paris France would take me 4-5 days to recover from if not longer even by private jet and chauffeur.
Likewise the journey from the Hotel to Le Louvre would cause a similar issue and I would be unable to spend any time taking in this incredible work of art. How times have changed as I actually remember leaving Tramp in London at around 3.00am and driving to Paris for lunch on one occasion. I love Paris and have some great memories of the great city and food there.
Marc
Marc
Epochal. Deeply impressed, Filip
The one thing that you pointed out here, that I hadn't initially gotten from the marketing videos, is that the transparent material is rock crystal! What a way to keep to a holistic theme!! Cheers, Filip
Indeed! Rock crystal! Huge gigantic rock crystals were cut for some of these panels.
Cartier mystery clocks used rock crystal. So it would have been a downgrade to use glass!
Agreed!
Some parts of this clock is made more like a watch than a clock. Not that I'm complaining.
Yes. This is truly fit for a King!
It's technically not for sale. But I have a feeling this piece is earmarked for someone. I could be wrong of course. There are a lot of royals who like clocks.