48 Each face has been decorated according to the ancient and noble art of Grisaille Grand Feu enamel: a rare technique which calls for outstanding skill
H Above, the hands of the master enameller defining the last details. Right, the dial reveals every slightest detail: the pleats of the tutu, the lace on the neckline, the velvet of the ribbon around the neck, the transparency of the tulle and muslin.
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His elegance and innate talent for dance made him one of the most admired danseurs of his day. When he performed the choreographies created by his teachers, the sun that crowned him exalted his majesty and hinted at his future: Louis XIV, the Sun King. His passion for the art of Terpsichore and the Academy that he established in 1661 made French ballet famous throughout the world. A royal decree issued in 1713 transformed the institution into the École Française de Danse, with its seat at the Opéra de Paris. Since then, these two cultural institutions have shared close ties. Not surprisingly, Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin, sponsor of the Paris Opéra to which it has dedicated a collection of luxury watches inspired by the famous ceiling painted by Chagall, is celebrating the third centenary of the École de Danse with three new extraordinary creations for the Métiers d’Art series: Hommage à l’Art de la Danse. Three masterpieces bearing the Hallmark of Geneva. The Manufacture’s ties with dance run deep: the creation of a fine watch like Vacheron Constantin’s has in fact much in common with the ephemeral yet unforgettable performance of a ballet dancer. The balance between technical perfection and artistic gracefulness is one example: the training of a ballet dancer is extremely rigorous, and the École de Danse demands total dedication from a very early age, to achieve a level of execution that combines
the finest technique with impeccable precision. When ballerinas dance, what we see on stage are just their light and elegant movements, the delicate interpretation of a musical atmosphere: we perceive no effort or fatigue, only their great professionalism and the sophistication of their dance. The same balance characterises a haute horlogerie watch: the three models of Hommage à l’Art de la Dance reflect an aesthetic beauty that relies on the impeccable execution of the skilled craftsmen that contribute to their creation. The watches’ functions are determined by the complications, for the pleasure of those who wear them on their wrists. The ballerina figures, inspired by Degas, are ethereal and elegant. But behind this extraordinary perfection lies the patient, steadfast and painstaking work of the masters who have created them: the watchmakers of Vacheron Constantin, of course, who have made each single component of the timepiece. The specialists who created the 2460 SC calibre, designed and produced by Vacheron Constantin. The goldsmiths who cast the 40 mm case in 18-carat white gold. And the masters of art who decorated the dials with three extraordinary subjects: La classe de danse, La répétition and Deux danseuses sur scène. Each dial is decorated with the ancient and noble art of grisaille Grand Feu enamel: a rare and truly demanding process that involves great skill and mastery. It is hard to find specialists in this technique outside the canton of Geneva.
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