The release mechanism is driven by a key-wind system via a to-and-fro winding lever that is concealed under the base of the clock. The lever triggers a warning
sound when winding is nearly complete, to avoid over winding of the opening mechanism.
 Atop
all of this mechanical majesty sits
a stunning
18-karat rose gold sphere. The globe is actually made of eight lotus-like petals that are perfectly fitted together and open in unison
to reveal
the clock within, which rises to the occasion. The petals open via a series of
sixteen connecting
rods linked to the telescopic shaft (on tiny sapphire balls) that carries the timepiece.
Matching
wits with this mechanical wizardry, the outside sphere is masterfully hand-carved by a single engraver and depicts the position of the stars on September 17, 1755
(date of the first document mentioning the existence of the house of Vacheron), as inspired by the work of Robert de Baugondy. The stars and astrological engravings
on the outer spheres took nearly four months to hand-engrave.
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As
if this outer wonder were not enough, the grand house of Vacheron Constantin tops the bill with the clock within the sphere. It is a stunning sapphire case connected
by a frame of 18-karat rose gold and housing an exquisitely decorated movement. An open-worked support links the clock to the telescopic shaft at the center of
the sphere. Two holes for winding sit near enameled astrological signs done in the old-world technique. Via a separate hand that rotates and points to this outer
dial, the clove offers an astronomical calendar giving the position of the sun according to the Gregorian calendar. This mechanism was built on the basis of calculations
by mathematician Charles Etienne Louis Camus (1699-1768) and watchmaking mechanical engineer Antide Janvier (1751-1835).
Additionally,
the clock offers the hours and quarters striking automatically en passant and also on request, with the possibility of preventing the automatic strikes. The movement
also offers perpetual calendar, with stunning moonphase display that took a week of engraving to achieve, age of the moon, equation of time, day, date, month, number
of the year within the leap-year cycle, deadbeat seconds, hour on 12-hour and 24-hour display, minutes, seven-day power reserve and temperature.
"We
have always been very strong in table clocks", says Philippe Boven, head director of Vacheron Constantin's design team in Geneva. "The technical and extraordinary
beauty of our table clocks is something marvelous in our past, and for this clock we had to follow in that tradition and create something equally as exceptional."
Indeed,
this magnificent demonstration of haute horology, masterful mechanics and incomparable art is guaranteed to go down in the historic annals of this 250-year-old
brand as one of the finest tributes to its namesake.
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