Vacheron Constantin and the Louvre Museum have joined forces to offer an unparalleled experience into the worlds of art and horology for Christie’s Bid for the Louvre online auction. The winner will receive a custom Les Cabinotiers timepiece from Vacheron Constantin with a bespoke dial reproducing a masterpiece from the Louvre’s extensive collection and will have private visits in Paris and Geneva to select the artwork and meet the artisans who will bring it to life. Christian Selmoni, Heritage and Style Director at Vacheron Constantin, says, “This creation is all about an emotional connection.”
If you’ve ever wanted to wander the opulent halls of the Louvre alone at night, your chance is here. The winning bidder will have a private after-hours visit to the museum accompanied by one of its top art experts, who will help select the masterpiece to be recreated on the watch dial. The Louvre has over 35,000 pieces of art on display, including some of the most famous works in the world, and the chance to see them in private is incredibly rare.
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Once the artwork has been chosen, the winner will travel to Geneva to visit the Manufacture Vacheron Constantin to meet the master watchmakers and talented artisans who will recreate the artwork in miniature on a watch dial. The piece can be reproduced in miniature enamel or grisaille enamel, both ancient arts that date to the 18th and 16th centuries, respectively. Paintings can be vividly recreated in miniature enamel painting, where master artisans will create enamel in the exact shades of the art. Only the most skilled and experienced craftspeople can work in miniature enamel because each layer of enamel must be fired in a kiln, and firing the enamel can alter the color and brilliance. A sculpture will be brought into sharp relief with grisaille enamel, where rare white Limoges enamel tops a dark enamel background.
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The watch will be personalized with the strap and metal case of their choice, and the caseback can be engraved, as well. It is powered by the in-house Calibre 2460 SC, which is beautifully decorated and finished by hand with many of Vacheron Constantin’s hallmarks, including bevelling and circular graining. The finished timepiece will come with certificates of authenticity from both Vacheron Constantin and the Louvre. The online auction at Christie’s runs from December 1-15 and 100% of the sale proceeds benefit solidarity projects at the Louvre.
