Just imagine – a mechanism so complicated it requires the precision of a thousand tiny gears, each one moving in perfect harmony. In the rarefied air of Haute Horlogerie, where time is not just measured but celebrated, creating a single highly technical component like a minute repeater, a split-seconds chronograph, or a tourbillon regulator is already akin to composing a masterpiece; the feat so deeply challenging to be regarded as such. Now, picture combining them all! It’s something so difficult that it seems to defy gravity itself, a challenge that separates the artisans from the true maestros.
Vacheron Constantin, a name synonymous with horological artistry, has long since danced with the intricate ballet of these challenging mechanisms. From the grand elegance of pocket watches to the intimate precision of wristwatches, the Maison has, over the years, diligently honed its high watchmaking craft. Like a sculptor slowly chipping away at raw stone to reveal a hidden form, their relentless research, technical developments, and brand growth have culminated in timepieces that are not merely watches, but breathtakingly and striking works of art.
Back in 2022, Vacheron Constantin achieved a monumental triumph: they met the audacious challenge of combining those three emblematic complications into a singular wristwatch, the original Calibre 2757 in a single-piece edition Les Cabinotiers. Such a piece had expertly showcased the brand’s unwavering dedication and peerless skill.
And now, for the newest, 2025 edition, we are presented with the Les Cabinotiers Temporis Duo Grand Complication Openface. The watchmakers of Les Cabinotiers, like alchemists transforming base metals into gold, have developed a new version of the calibre, now boasting a spherical hairspring to further improve isochronism – a fancy way of saying even more consistent timekeeping. This horological marvel is then set into a one-of-a-kind watch that, like a curtain drawing back on a grand stage, reveals the inherent beauty and complexity of the movement through an open-worked dial.
One of the most striking design features, truly a window into its soul, is the new open-faced sapphire dial. At just 0.5 mm thick, it’s as delicate as a dragonfly’s wing, yet incredibly strong. This transparent marvel provides an unobstructed, breathtaking view of the intricate movement within, transforming what was once hidden mechanical watchmaking into a vibrant, pulsing “kinetic art.” You can almost hear the tiny gears singing as light plays across their meticulously crafted surfaces.
And what surfaces they are! This timepiece showcases exceptional hand-finishing on virtually all components of the calibre. It’s a divine combination of textures and reflections, with detailed bevelling, polishing, satin-finishing, graining, circular-graining, engraving, and bead-blasting. Each technique, a brushstroke by a master artist, creates a captivating interplay of light and shadow, inviting the eye to dance across the miniature landscape.
Flip the watch over, and the reverse side of the movement presents its own distinctive aesthetic. Like the dark side of the moon, it features blackened bridges that are hand-sandblasted and edged with mirror-polished sinks, creating a beautiful and dramatic contrast with the warm, golden tones of the moving parts. It’s a visual poem of light and dark, a testament to the fact that even the hidden parts of this masterpiece are given the utmost attention. To further highlight the dedication involved, the polishing of just a single semi-circular bridge on the striking governor took a painstaking eight hours. Imagine the patience, the precision, the sheer devotion required for every single element.
The Les Cabinotiers Temporis Duo Grand Complication Openface is more than just a watch; it’s more of a work of art, and a tiny, intricate universe living on your wrist.
