Surprisingly thin, the Repetition skeleton minutes Rose Gold Cabinotiers by Vacheron Constantin is a work of pure watchmaking art. Born from meticulous artisanal work, and exceptional know-how, the Repetition minutes skeleton Cabinotiers comprises an invaluable signed Vacheron Constantin movement, delicately worked and then encased in rose gold.

The Repetition minutes is without doubt one of the highest achievements in horology. Each component of the open-worked movement is decorated and engraved. The extremely thin sapphire dial adds to the transparency and each part contributes to the overall enchantment.

The art of squelettage: Providing an overall picture of mechanical perfection, a wrist watch skeleton makes it possible to admire the totality of its complications. The technical constraints related to the miniaturization are immense, and few watchmaking houses can hope to realize skeletonized pieces.

The watch-making craftsmen of Vacheron Constantin dedicate their full attention to the completion and decoration of their watch skeletons. Even a hardly visible screw is adjusted and polished by hand.

The art of the repetition minutes: Despite the technical know-how of the watch industry, the realization of a repetition minutes remains a great challenge to the watchmaker. Calling upon centuries of experimentation and Genevese artisanal traditions, the Repetition skeleton minutes constitutes one dazzling demonstration of watchmaking art.

At the end of the 80s, Vacheron Constantin envisaged a new Repetition minutes. Its watchmaking Masters imagined a new realization. Drawing up the plans, getting the necessary tools, they gathered a team of specialists likely to conclude such an undertaking. After four years of patient research, the House could eventually reveal its first piece, the Caliber 1755, released in 1993. It is the ultimate example of this caliber which animates the Repetition skeleton minutes Cabinotiers.

In spite of the more than 330 parts, the movement of the Repetition measures just 3.30 mm thick. The manufacturing process extends over at least 320 hours.

A work of art in its own right, each of the partsthat make up the mechanism and case are handcrafted. The result is an instrumentwith the purest possible sound, a sound enhanced by the sapphire crystal of its case back and dial. Press lightly, and its two gongs will strike the hours,quarters and minutes. This hand-wound mechanical watch is fitted with an 'all-or-nothing' mechanism; if the slide on the side of the case is not fully depressed, the mechanism is not fully armed and so the gongs will remain silent hence, 'all-or-nothing'. In Minute Repeaters that are not equipped with this device, the chimes will be heard even when the slide is not sufficiently depressed but the number ofstrikes will be fewer than the actual time. This intelligent mechanism, invented in 1720, ensures the striking mechanism functions to the utmost accuracy.

The Vacheron Constantin caliber 1755 possesses two tones: the lower pitch marks the hours, the higher pitch the minutes, while an alternating high and low pitch chimes the quarter-hour. Each gong is patiently tuned by hand, while the slightest modification to the mechanism can influence the sonority of the watch.

Not only must the watchmaker demonstrate an acute musical ear, but the two gongs must be perfectlyprecise: the chimes indicating four hours, three-quarters and four minutes must not exceed seven to eight seconds! It is clearly understandable why such perfection is a collector's dream.
Vacheron traces its history back to 1755 when Jean-Marc Vacheron established his watchmaking firm in Geneva. Francois Constantin joined in 1819 creating Vacheron & Constantin. In 1974, Vacheron & Constantin officially dropped the ampersand from the company name, although its wristwatches had already engraved with the newer title since the 1950s. Among its multitude of watchmaking firsts, Vacheron Constantin invented the winding crown. Today, Vacheron Constantin manufactures superb complications and exquisite wristwatches coveted by even the most discerning collector.