“La Musique du Temps” Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Split-seconds Chronograph – Tempo

The Les Cabinotiers division of Vacheron Constantin is a dedicated department of master artisans with unmatched technical proficiency, showcasing their expertise by devising the most complicated timepieces in the world. Each year, records get smashed by their watchmaking prowess, dreaming up the impossible, they are the equivalent of fashion’s Haute Couture or London’s Savile Row tailoring. If you can imagine it, chances are, Les Cabinotiers can make it.

Part of the “La Musique du Temps” collection, these two chiming watches add to Vacheron Constantin’s illustrious history of creating masterful musical horological complications. Each of these watches’ unique sound prints will be certified at London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios, each creating an individual “fingerprint,” or recording of the unique sound of each model.

The breathtaking 19 complications of the one-of-kind Les Cabinotiers Astronomical Striking Grand Complication – Ode to Music and the 24 complications of the Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Split-seconds Chronograph – Tempo, will show you exactly why Vacheron Constantin produces the most romantic timepieces in existence. The sky’s the limit, and for Vacheron Constantin, the heavens above often become an essential part of the design.

“La Musique du Temps” Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Split-seconds Chronograph – Tempo

1,163 Components of Pure Excellence.

One of the most complicated wristwatches ever created by the Maison, this pink gold one-of-a-kind double-sided Grand Complication Split-seconds Chronograph – Tempo utilizes every spare millimeter to its utmost advantage.

The front of the dial displays off-center hours with an inner 24-hour time zone disc that can be used to display a second time zone (top left subdial), the minutes with a 30-minute counter chronograph on the inner disc (top right subdial). The split-second chronograph is displayed from the central hands, and the perpetual calendar indicated below. On the lower half, you’ll find the day and date (lower left subdial) and month and leap year (lower right subdial). Topping it off, a minute repeater chimes hours, quarters, and minutes, all on-demand.

Turning the watch over to see the reverse is where things get especially dreamy:

The flip side is where you’ll find true solar time displayed by the two central hands (sort of like sundial time), which corresponds with 24-hour “clock” time only four times per year. The difference between the two types of time is known as the equation of time illustrated on the central right and left sides of the dial as a “running” equation of time. Also, at 3 and 9 o’clock, you’ll see the indication of sunrise and sunset and the duration of day and night. The age and phases of the moon are at the 6 o’clock position (only needing one correction every 1,000 years). Capitalizing on the unmatched romantic Vacheron Constantin savoir-faire, the tourbillon at 12 features a Maltese cross-shaped carriage topped by the central hand pointer power reserve indicator. Sigh.