The term “skeleton” is one we tend to throw around in the watch world whenever describing any watch where the movement is completely or partially visible from the dial side, allowing the wearer to admire the inner workings and mechanics of his/her watch. Yet not all skeletons are built alike.
Many of today’s so-called skeleton watches have movements that were designed as open-worked movements, meaning that the plates, bridges, barrel and other components are manufactured in the final form you’ll see. Not that there’s anything wrong with this method, as it allows for some truly original movement architecture, as seen on the Arnold & Son Time Pyramid for instance.
In a more traditional sense however, a true skeleton watch is one where a standard movement has been skeletonized by manually removing the non-vital parts from the movement. An art form within horology that’s been around since the 18th century (read all about it in this in-depth post by Alex Ghotbi here, open-working is a craft that Vacheron Constantin have pretty much mastered, as exemplified in the Métiers d’Art Mécaniques Ajourées from SIHH 2014.
The Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Mécaniques Ajourées Ajourées is hands-down one of the most breathtaking traditional skeleton watches I’ve had the pleasure of handling in the past few years. It’s traditional in terms of supposedly inspired by European railway station clocks of the late 19th century. And judging from this photo you can do definitely see some resemblance.
Photo by http://harrisonsinparis.blogspot.ch
The raised hours ring with Roman numerals, the touch of contrasting color with the grand feu enamel insert (available in blue, black or grey) and the blackened skeleton lance hands certainly give you the impression that you’re looking at something so elegantly ornate that it may very well have traveled through time.
Housed in a polished and rounded 40mm 18kt white gold case, which adds a subtle warmth against the movement, the Mécaniques Ajourées is all about the movement. The skeletonization or open-working is so elaborate that, apart from the placement of the barrel and escapement, you can barely tell that the movement was once the Vacheron Constantin caliber 4400, the brand’s in-house base movement. Now I could tell you all about the construction, finish and merits of the movement, but why bother when you can read award-winning independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen’s thoughts on it here ?
What I find particularly appealing on the Métiers d’Art Mécaniques Ajourées is the style of the engraving on the movement. I’m not entirely sure what this sort of motif is called, but it’s definitely not that tired baroque-style engraving you’ll find in numerous traditional skeleton watches across all price points. There’s something Cubist and somewhat geometric about it that gives an incredible sense of depth to the movement. It’s classical without being cheesy.
Speaking of depth, my friend and living Vacheron Constantin Alex G of The Hour Lounge informed me that the in-house manual winding calibe 4400 movement was actually conceived from the ground up to produce a truly captivating viewing experience when open-worked or ajourée in French. I couldn’t believe that the movement measured only 2.8mm thick.
I like that there aren’t too many wide-open gaps between the bridges and gears that I don’t have to cringe at my Middle-Eastern wrist hairs when I wear the thing, something I can’t say for a lot of other skeleton watches out there. Don’t worry, I’ll spare you the wrist shot!
But of course this kind of attention to detail and superlative quality will set you back a pretty penny, around $85’000 USD and almost double that far diamond baguette set versions. But then again, for something that is just oozing with over-the-top finishing and impeccable handwork, not to mention a name as illustrious as Vecheron Constantin, it’s not unwarranted.
More information on www.vacheron-constantin.com
