Wear a piece of wearable art for your wrist from The Met's watch Collection

Imagine wearing one of your favourite pieces of fine art from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) on your wrist. Now that has become every bit the possibility, with Vacheron Constantin‘s new partnership with the New York City institution as part of the watchmaker’s Masterpiece on your Wrist programme. 

Launched in 2019, this programme works with world-class museums to offer collectors the extraordinary opportunity to create a bespoke reproduction of a masterpiece on a Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers timepiece. Following its inaugural tie-up with The Lourve, it has now broadened its artwork catalogue through The Met’s vast collection.

For the specially commissioned dial of their Les Cabinotiers watch, clients may choose from creations of masters represented at The Met, such as Claude Monet, Winslow Homer, Vincent van Gogh and Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Master artisans from the brand’s metiers d’art department, who specialise in highly demanding ancestral decorative crafts such as miniature enamel painting and grisaille enamelling, will then produce the chosen painting for the watch. There are even three movements, all developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin, to choose from: Calibre 2755 TMR (minute repeater tourbillon), Calibre 1731 (minute repeater), and Calibre 2460 SC (central seconds).

An exceedingly rare technique, miniature enamel painting involves hand-painting in minutia a desired image onto a base-layer of baked enamel. Applied in individual thin layers by colour, the paint is fixed in place by successive firings. Once the painting is complete, the artisan protects the work with a transparent enamel flux to give it both brilliance and depth. Unlike other techniques, miniature enamel painting is perfect for reproducing dramatic details, movement and colours due to its unique ability to imitate the brushstrokes and impasto depth of classical paintings.

For this reason, miniature enamel painting is suitable for realising works such as Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies by Claude Monet (1899), Northeaster by Winslow Homer (1895, reworked by 1901), and Wheat Field with Cypresses by Vincent van Gogh (1889).

Grisaille enamelling is a monochromatic technique that is often employed due to its unrivalled ability to create depth, luminosity and dimensionality. In particular, it is a superb technique to create the illusion of sculpture, especially relief, due to the shading achieved in the process. The process begins with a dark enamel base, usually black, as a background upon which the master artisan builds up translucent layers of Limoges white – a pasty white enamel – to obtain varying shades of grey. Each successive layer builds up a chiaroscuro effect, the contrast of light and shadow, to impart a 3D effect. It is recommended for reproducing masterworks such as Diana by Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1893-94).

Participating clients are also treated to a deeply personal and enriching experience that extends beyond the acquisition. The journey includes a private tour of The Met, guided by its expert curators, offering an intimate glimpse into the world of fine arts. Additionally, they are invited to visit Vacheron Constantin’s manufacture in Geneva, providing insight into the intricate processes involved in watchmaking and metiers d’art.

The collaboration between Vacheron Constantin and The Met is built on a foundation of shared values, emphasising the preservation of artistic and cultural heritage. Through this partnership, both institutions aim to keep cultural legacies alive for future generations, showcasing their rich histories and contributions to the world of art and craftsmanship.

This article was originally published in The Peak.