At SIHH 2017, Vacheron Constantin is introducing a collection in tribute to Nicolaus Copernicus, the Polisha mathematician and philosopher, who in 1543 published De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, in which he put forward his theory of heliocentrism. The three Hallmark of Geneva certified Métiers d’Art Copernicus celestial spheres 2460 RT models feature three dials inspired by the baroque depictions of the 17th century Dutch-German cartographer Andreas Cellarius.
Vacheron Constantin’s New Métiers dArt Copernicus Celestial Spheres Collection
The collection’s dials feature two parts: an oval centre adorned with a pink gold stamped and hand-engraved Sun motif: and an outer disc dedicated to decorative craft variations. A reproduction of the heliocentric system offers a fascinating scenography of the sky.
The first version of the Copernicus Celestial Spheres watch boasts a champlevé grand feu enamel dial drawing inspiration from an astronomical map of the Copernican system as drawn by Andreas Cellarius. The second dial is hand-engraved with the signs of the zodiac intertwined and overlapping on a white gold disc. The third dial combines laser engraving and hand-engraving on sapphire crystal.
Vacheron Constantin’s New Métiers dArt Copernicus Celestial Spheres Collection
All three new Métiers d’Art Copernicus Celestial Spheres watches are fitted with 18K white gold cases measuring 43 mm in diameter and 12.9 mm in thickness, they all indicate the time via peripheral hands and all are fitted with a highly polished bezel with engraved zodiac signs.
Around the outer dial rim, the time is displayed by two triangular peripheral hands made of 4N gold: a cut-out one for the hours and a solid one for the minutes. The key highlight of this watch is the elliptical path of the Earth around the Sun, reproducing the heliocentric system: an elliptical orbit in 365.2421898 days, meaning one tropical year while the earth is also spinning on its axis in 24 hours. The depiction of the Earth spinning on its own axis as well as orbiting around the Sun is extremely realistic, with the device operating the latter function requiring only one correction in 8,000 years! All functions are adjusted via the crown.
