Of course, Vacheron Constantin wouldn’t let people wear a 250 kilogram clock on their hands and prepared a watch for this anniversary (ok, this was a bad joke). We are talking today about Métiers d’Art ‘Tribute to the Quest of Time’
- Vacheron Constantin 270th Annyversary Celebration
- The “Arms in the Air” Magic
- The Dial and the Constellation Connection
- Calibre 3670 – The technical Marvel of Métiers d’Art ‘Tribute to the Quest of Time’
- Astronomical Complications and a 3D Moon that Actually Makes Sense
- The Art of Métiers d’Art: Superb Craftmanship
- Specifications Summary Table of Métiers d’Art ‘Tribute to the Quest of Time’
Limited to 20 pieces, Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time is obviously inspired by La Quête du Temps, and we can see that by the Astronomer figure present in this watch as well.
Vacheron Constantin 270th Annyversary Celebration
A special day for the brand is 17 September , 2025 because it marks 270 years of existence – and it is a milestone that only few companies, or watchmakers can claim. It marks the day when Jean-Marc Vacheron started his business after he was an apprentice.
This year’s anniversary theme was “The Quest—A defining journey shaped by creativity, passion, and the pursuit of perfection.” – and they delivered on that promise with two incredible releases.
The Birth of Two Masterpieces
We have two amazing timepieces that launched yesterday:
La Quête du Temps – A monumental automaton clock (covered in our separate article) -also you cannot buy this
The Métiers d’Art “Tribute to the Quest of Time” – Today’s star, a 20-piece limited edition wristwatch-which you can buy, but it is really expensive.
So, what makes this tribute watch so special? Well, The Automaton that you see in La Quête du Temps is present here as well. Of course, it doesn’t have the same gracious dance when it shows you the hour, but it still moves his hands.
The “Arms in the Air” Magic
Imagine this, you are wearing a watch where time isn’t displayed by traditional hands, but by a three-dimensional titanium figure, called the Astronomer, that literally gestures to show you the hours and minutes.
The figure’s left arm points to the hours which are displayed in Roman numerals, and the right hand points to minutes which are displayed in Arabic numerals. Like a mechanical theater.
And you have a choice in how you want to experience this hour telling performance;
Display modes that adapt to your style
Always-On Mode: The figure constantly shows the current time with fluid movements
Standby Mode: The arms rest in a neutral position until you press the pusher at 10 o’clock
I like this flexibility because let’s be honest, when you have a watch like this, sometimes you just want to see the beautiful aesthetic without the hands that are constantly moving being in your way. And maybe sometimes you just want to see the handjobs (joke intended-not very good i know).
The Dial and the Constellation Connection
The blue dial is beautiful, but the really nice part has an historical significance. Beneath the surface lies an illustration of the constellation as they appeared over Geneva on September 17, 1755 – the day Vacheron Constantin was founded.
Of course, the same constellation is present on La Quête du Temps dome , creating a beautiful connection between the two pieces.
The dial construction is a marvel of engineering:
- Double sapphire crystal layers for protection and depth
- Blue gradient effect created through metallization
- Golden powder transfer-printing for the Vacheron Constantin logo
- White transfer-printing for power reserve indications
Calibre 3670 – The technical Marvel of Métiers d’Art ‘Tribute to the Quest of Time’
Calibre 3670 took three years of development and four patent applications, and of course it is the heart of Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time. But what makes this Calibre so good? Let me break it for you in a couple of words.
High Frequency – Running at 5Hz (36000 beats per hour) – this movement ensures that you have great accuracy. Nothing special about the beats per hour, but it’s better than most watches.
Smart Power Management
I like this a lot. I mentioned in My Omega Seamster Review that I’m waiting for the watch which has 6 days of power reserve. That day had come, too bad the watch is way out of my league.
So, 6 day (144 hour) power reserve which is cleverly displayed across two subdials:
- First dial: Shows power from 6 to 3 days
- Second dial: Shows power from 3 to 0 days
This split is actually one of their patent applications and it creates a perfect visual balance on the watch face .
Synchronized Perfection
This is a technical detail that proves the engineering brilliance: normally, retrograde displays are affected by hour and minute hands progressing at different speeds.
But Vacheron Constantin developed and patented a synchronisation mechanism that makes sure when the watch strikes 11:59 both hands return to 12:00 at the same time. I guess this kind of stuff and details separate the masters from regular watchmakers. Rolex…I’m looking at you with your overpriced watches.
Astronomical Complications and a 3D Moon that Actually Makes Sense
Above the Automaton we have a spherical 3D moon made of titanium. But here’s the fun and clever part- it’s not just one color.
One side is golden PVD treatment while the dark side of the moon has deep blue PVD treatment which makes it very easy to track the actual moon phases.
Is this a necessity? NO! Is it cool? YES! We don’t buy watches because we need them, we buy them because of how it makes us feel. What they can do mechanically .
Around the moon’s edge, a ring shows the age of the moon in days, and both are rotating together on their own axis.
If you flip the watch over, you will discover another world entirely. The rear dial features a sapphire crystal with a blue sapphire disc underneath which display a sky chart that:
- Shows the sidereal day
- Tracks constellations in real time
- Remains accurate within one day over 9,130 years
Let’s think for a moment- this watch will accurately track the stars for over 9000 years. Way long before we are turned into dust and longer than recorded human history.
The Art of Métiers d’Art: Superb Craftmanship
Clearly each material in this watch serves both aesthetics and functionality
The Titanium Figure on Métiers d’Art ‘Tribute to the Quest of Time’
- Lightweight construction minimizes impact on the movement
- Golden PVD treatment with sandblasted finish
- Hand-patinated for unique character
- Designed to withstand the constant retrograde movements
Sapphire Crystal
Instead of traditional Cotes de geneve finishing, the movement features a circular graining, a subtle one because they wanted to improve legibility against the complex sapphire dials. It was intentional because the traditional geneva stripes would have been too distracting.
The White Gold Case
The 43mm × 13.58mm 18K white gold case has the perfect balance between presence and wearability.
Despite having 512 components, the watch maintains elegant proportions that suit the most wrists. Imagine how tiny those components are , and they all work in perfect harmony.
Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time is a watch for true and passionate people. It’s limited to 20 pieces and I assume it is really hard to get your hands on this model. Not only the price is prohibited, but the fact that it is very limited, my guess is that there are some people with priority to purchase this watch due to their history of purchases with Vacheron Constantin.
Specifications Summary Table of Métiers d’Art ‘Tribute to the Quest of Time’
| Specification | Details |
| Case | 43mm × 13.58mm 18K white gold |
| Movement | Calibre 3670, manual winding, 5Hz |
| Power Reserve | 144 hours (6 days) |
| Complications | Double retrograde time, 3D moon phase, sky chart, sidereal day |
| Limited Edition | 20 pieces |
| Price | On request (est. $800,000-$1,200,000) |
More info about the watch you can find here
