Vacheron Constantin Celestia Astronomical Complication

 Vacheron Constantin Celestia Astronomical Complication swiss replica watches: A Tribute to Ptolemy and Copernicus

 

Geocentric and Heliocentric Universes

To celebrate its 270th anniversary, Vacheron Constantin presents the new watch collection "La Quête," crafted by its Les Cabinotiers division. This collection pays homage to humanity's long-standing interest in astronomy, a field Vacheron Constantin has cultivated for centuries in mechanical engineering. The highlight of the new collection is two unique Les Cabinotiers Celestia astronomical complications watches. These watches pay tribute to Ptolemy and Copernicus respectively, featuring the same ultra-complex movement but with distinctly different metal cases, and each is hand-engraved to represent a different yet profoundly influential worldview.

The philosophical divergence between these two watches is at the heart of their creation. They symbolize the significant shift in human understanding from a geocentric to a heliocentric model. The first model commemorates Claudius Ptolemy, the 2nd-century Alexandrian astronomer. His cosmological model, which remained the standard for 1500 years, placed the stationary Earth at the center of the universe, with planets and stars orbiting it in perfectly harmonious circular paths. This model was widely accepted as truth and influenced all aspects of science, philosophy, and religion.

The second watches pays homage to the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, who sparked a revolution centuries later. He proposed the heliocentric model, asserting that the sun was the true center of our universe. This was not an entirely new idea—Aristarchus of Samos had proposed similar ideas as early as the 3rd century BC—but the mathematical framework provided by Copernicus ultimately overturned Ptolemy's 1500-year-old doctrine. This shift paved the way for modern astronomy, and Vacheron Constantin chose to interpret these two worldviews through metal: one representing the ancient geocentric view of the universe, and the other the modern heliocentric view.

Both watches are powered by the in-house Calibre 3600. While not a completely new movement, its reintroduction here is perfectly fitting. First used in the Les Cabinotiers Celestia watch in 2017, this movement is the culmination of five years of dedicated research and development. It is a manual-winding, double-sided movement containing an astonishing 23 astronomical complications. Its exquisite craftsmanship is breathtaking, with 514 components and 64 jewels working in harmony. This movement won the "Mechanical Exception" award at the 2017 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, and its inclusion in this timepiece provides the technical foundation for the artistic expression of the case. The Calibre 360's excellence lies in its miniaturization. While complicated movements are typically bulky and complex, this movement integrates 23 functions, including three independent chronograph gear trains, into a movement only 8.7 mm thick. The entire case, including the front and back crystals, is only 13.91 mm thick. Considering the amount of information displayed in the watch, such a slim case is truly remarkable. This movement is certified with the Geneva Seal, signifying that all 514 components are finished to an exceptionally high standard, even those never seen by the wearer.

Powering this complex movement requires a significant amount of energy. The Caliber 3600 achieves a power reserve of up to three weeks. This is not achieved through a single large mainspring, but rather through six mainspring barrels connected in series. The movement operates at a stable frequency of 2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour). The 1-minute tourbillon on the case back is visible through the sapphire crystal. Its cage is shaped like Vacheron Constantin's iconic Maltese cross. The watchmakers cleverly placed the tourbillon on the case back, freeing up valuable space for the dense astronomical displays on the dial. luxury replica watches

The Celestia watch's primary function is to display three different times, each driven by its own independent gear train. The dial displays civil time and solar time. Civil time is the standard 24-hour time we use in daily life. Solar time, also known as true time, is based on the sun's actual position in the sky. These two times rarely coincide perfectly. Due to the Earth's elliptical orbit and 24-degree axial tilt, the time between two sun zeniths—a true solar day—varies slightly. This difference between the solar day and the 24-hour civil day is known as the "equation of time."

This difference ranges from 16 minutes later to 14 minutes earlier than civil time, and they only coincide perfectly four times a year, at the winter and summer solstices, and the spring and autumn equinoxes. The Calibre 3600 movement mechanically calculates and displays this difference using the "equation of time." This is not a small dial that requires manual addition or subtraction. The watch features a second coaxial minute hand, tipped with a small sun, which operates independently of the main minute hand. This sun-tipped minute hand automatically moves in front of or behind the civil minute hand, allowing for an instantaneous reading of both true solar time and average civil time.

A third time, sidereal time, is located on the back of the watch. The sidereal day is measured relative to the stars, not the sun. Because the Earth revolves around the Sun, it takes slightly less time to complete a 360-degree rotation relative to a distant star. Therefore, a sidereal day is about 4 minutes shorter than a calendar day, exactly 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds. Sidereal hour markers are located on the edge of a movable disc on the case back, which rotates significantly faster than the civilian time display by 4 minutes each day.

The dial of the "Tribute to Ptolemy" timepiece is crafted from 18K white gold with a finely grained texture. The hands and applied hour markers are also made of 18K white gold. The dial layout is informative yet remains highly legible. Two windows at 1 o'clock display the date and month respectively. This is part of a perpetual calendar, which also includes a sub-dial at 3 o'clock with a serpentine hand indicating the date. A small circular window above the sub-dial displays leap years; this system is mechanically programmed to operate accurately until 2100.

A precise moon phase display is located at 9 o'clock. This complication has an error of only one day every 122 years. It consists of two superimposed discs: the lower disc is shaded to indicate day and night; the upper, transparent disc is laser-engraved with a moon pattern. The wearer can read the lunar age, the number of days since the last new moon, through the edge of this small disc.

The lower half of the dial is dedicated to displaying complications directly related to the sun's position. Two slender hands indicate the sunrise and sunset times at the wearer's location on a scale. Between these two scales, a vertical measuring bar visually displays the length of day and night, expanding and contracting with the seasons. A rotating ring at 4 o'clock displays the constellations of the zodiac, the current season, and the dates of the winter solstice, summer solstice, and spring and autumn equinoxes. A complication at 11 o'clock also includes a tide gauge, or tide meter. This is extremely rare in watchmaking. It not only displays the current tide level but also showcases the alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun through an intricate three-dimensional skeletonized design. This alignment is the controlling factor of tidal amplitude. When the moon is new or full, the three align in a straight line, resulting in the highest tide—the "spring tide."

The "Homage to Copernicus" watch features the exact same layout and complications, but is crafted from 18K 5N rose gold. The dial also features a grained texture, but in a warm rose gold hue. The hands and applied hour markers are also made of 18K 5N rose gold. This warm hue contrasts sharply with the deep Mississippi alligator leather strap, creating a distinctly different visual effect from the white gold version. The intricate and complex functions, such as the blued steel hands indicating sunrise and sunset and the blue of the moon phase disc, stand out against the rose gold dial.

Both high quality replica watches feature a star chart on the back, displaying sidereal time. The star chart consists of two superimposed sapphire discs. The upper disc is stationary, engraved with indicators of the Northern Hemisphere constellations and the Milky Way. The lower disc rotates at a sidereal time rate. A yellow triangular hand indicates the current date on a rotating disc.

On this moving disc, an off-center blue ellipse serves as the background "sky." This ellipse displays in real-time which constellations are visible on the upper disc from a specific location on Earth. The display also includes a white elliptical line representing the celestial equator (the projection of Earth's equator into space) and a red elliptical line representing the ecliptic (the plane of Earth's orbit around the sun). The entire case back is a constantly changing miniature planetarium. The outer edge of the display acts as a power reserve indicator, showing three cycles of power reserve.

The true artistry of these two "one-of-a-kind" watches lies in the meticulous hand-engraving on the case. Each watch is crafted by a master engraver over 240 hours using the champlevé enamel technique. This process involves hollowing out the metal to create a recessed background, followed by meticulous hand-champling to create a "sandblasted" texture. The original raised surfaces are then polished, creating a striking contrast between the textured background and the high-gloss lines. 18K

The white gold "Ptolemy" watch features a geocentric cosmological diagram engraved on the case, lugs, and bezel. Planets orbit the Earth in their respective orbits, with the Earth represented by a spherical pattern on the crown. The engraver's greatest challenge was maintaining the symmetry and regularity of the planetary ellipses, extending them from the side of the case to the lugs and finally to the bezel. Any break in the lines would disrupt the overall effect. The planets themselves are slightly spherical and textured, enhancing the cosmic beauty, while the miniature continents on the Earth's crown are hand-polished.

The 5N rose gold "Copernicus" watch showcases the heliocentric model. The crown symbolizes the sun, with polished light radiating outwards from the case and lugs. Planets orbit the central sun in their respective orbits. This design presented a unique challenge: the geometric center of the planetary orbits is located on the left side of the case, extending beyond the watch's actual frame. The engraver had to create a special compass-like tool to perfectly draw these enormous arcs on the curved surface of the case. The planets are again presented in relief with an arched effect, polished to make them stand out against the chased background.

Both watches feature a 45mm diameter, 13.91mm thick case, water-resistant to 3 bar (approximately 30 meters). Each watch comes with a deep blue Mississippi alligator leather strap, lined with alligator leather and hand-stitched with saddle stitching. The strap is fitted with a hand-engraved 18K white gold or 18K 5N rose gold folding clasp, complementing the case material.

As unique limited-edition watches from Vacheron Constantin's Les Cabinotiers division, these two timepieces are the epitome of exclusivity. The case back of each watch is engraved with "Pièce unique" and "Les Cabinotiers," highlighting their distinctive identity. Vacheron Constantin will not publicly price such pieces; they are only available for pre-order. These watches represent the pinnacle of mechanical craftsmanship and exquisite artistry, dedicated to exploring humanity's understanding of the universe. https://www.grand-watch.co

The Les Cabinotiers Celestia astronomical complication watch pays homage to Ptolemy.

Case: Hand-engraved 18K white gold, 45mm in diameter, 13.91mm thick. Double-sided case. Water-resistant to 3 bar (approx. 30 meters).

Movement: Caliber 3600 manual-winding mechanical movement. 36mm in diameter, 8.7mm thick. 514 parts, 64 jewels. Frequency 2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour). Six mainspring barrels, approximately 3 weeks power reserve. One-minute tourbillon.

Dial: 18K white gold grained dial. 18K white gold applied hour markers and hands. Double-sided display, featuring 23 astronomical complications, including civil time, solar time, sidereal time, perpetual calendar, precise moon phase, equation of time, sunrise and sunset times, tide indicator, and star chart.

Strap: Deep blue Mississippi alligator leather, lined with alligator leather, hand-stitched, with a saddle-shaped texture and large square scales. Hand-engraved 18K white gold folding clasp.

Reference Number: 97A0C/000G-304C.

Note: “Pièce unique”. Geneva Seal certified. The case engraving uses cloisonné enamel to depict Ptolemy's geocentric model, taking 240 hours to complete.

Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Complication Watch, a tribute to Copernicus.

Case: Hand-engraved 18K 5N rose gold, 45 mm in diameter, 13.91 mm thick. Double-sided case. Water-resistant to 3 bar (approximately 30 meters). Movement: Caliber 3600, manual-winding mechanical movement. 36 mm in diameter, 8.7 mm thick. 514 parts, 64 jewels. Frequency 2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour). Six mainspring barrels provide approximately 3 weeks of power reserve. One-minute tourbillon.

Dial: 18K 5N pink gold case with a grained finish. 18K 5N pink gold appliqués and hands. Double-sided display with 23 astronomical complications, including civil time, solar time and sidereal time, perpetual calendar, precise moon phase, equation of time, sunrise and sunset times, tide indicator, and celestial chart.

Strap: Dark blue Mississippi alligator leather, lined with alligator leather, hand-stitched, saddle-patterned, large-scaled pattern. Hand-engraved 18K 5N pink gold folding clasp.

Reference number: 97A0C/000R-290C.