Skeletons in the Closet Vacheron Constantin, Perrelet, and Louis-Fréderic
The world of luxury watches is one that definitely likes to stick to traditional, conservative designs. Year after year, companies release ever better complications, but all behind watch designs that are classic to the point of boring. But 2009 promises to be a very different year indeed.
Skeleton watches are turning out to be fairly popular this year, especially since a number of prestigious companies released skeletonized designs at the 2009 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. If you’re ever been interested in the industrial and intriguing look of skeleton-design watches, this year would be a good time to get one for yourself.
Modern Meets Traditional
Vacheron Constantin has made a name in its 250-odd years of existence as a purveyor of traditional designs. This year, however, they’ve released a design that’s more contemporary than classic.
The Skeleton Patrimony Traditionelle is a much bolder take on the typically conservative designs of the Patrimony Traditionelle collection. Instead of a plain dial, its skeletonized design gives you a full-on view of the complex horology ticking inside it. Watching the Skeleton Patrimony Traditionelle tick the time away is almost like witnessing a live, beating heart.
But even if the watch looks highly technical and very industrial, it doesn’t leave out the luxe factor that made Vacheron Constantin watches famous. Diamonds serve as the hour indices on the watch while a further set of up to 82 diamonds adorn the circumference of the case.
Skeletonized with a Signature
Perrelet is another premium watch company known for classicism and traditionalism in its designs. Like Vacheron Constantin, it’s also released a skeleton design of its own – the Louis-Fréderic split-second chronograph – fusing together function, aesthetics and pure technical skill.
Unlike the Vacheron Constantin opus, the piece from Perrelet is only partially skeletonized; there’s a rim of a dial as well as a radial design done in the distinctive deep blue of luxury watches. However, there’s a generous view of the mechanism at work behind the blues of the face.
There’s a technical side to all this beauty: the Louis-Fréderic is powered by the P-241, an automatic mechanism exclusive to Perrelet. The fact that it’s a chronograph also means that there’s a fair amount of ticking going on, more than what you already see.