Three one-of-a-kind Tribute to the Tour de l’Ile timepieces pay homage to Vacheron Constantin’s 270-year history by celebrating an historic Geneva landmark that holds deep significance for the Maison.
Set on a small island in the middle of the Rhône River, the Tour de l’Ile (literal translation: tower of the island) is the remnant of a fortified castle built in the 13th century to defend Geneva. Bridges linking the two sides of the Rhône via the island – just downstream from where the river flows out of Lake Geneva – have existed since pre-Roman times. Underlining the strategic importance of the crossing, the bridge was demolished by Julius Caesar and subsequently rebuilt several times over the centuries. As a major checkpoint on the route connecting northern and southern Europe, this link elevated Geneva to become a major crossroads for European trade, providing the foundation for the city’s early wealth.
A cherished landmark in Geneva, the Tour de l’Ile clock tower stands as a testament to the city’s resilience and strength, as well as Vacheron Constantin’s enduring journey. In 1843, the Maison established its workshops within the tower, and three years later, it was granted permission to display its signage on the façade. As the business expanded, Vacheron Constantin relocated in 1875 to larger workshops just 100 meters away on the Quai des Moulins, before opening its first boutique in the tower in 1906.
The clock on the Tour de l’Ile bears Geneva’s historic motto, Post Tenebras Lux (After Darkness, Light), a phrase dating back to the mid-16th century—a transformative era for the city. Beyond its religious significance, the motto embodies the belief that even in the darkest moments, a brighter future is possible. It remains a powerful symbol of Geneva’s dedication to freedom, independence, and progress.
This same motto is engraved inside the officer-style case back of each Tribute to the Tour de l’Ile watch, honoring both the city that shaped Vacheron Constantin’s identity and the Maison’s relentless pursuit of horological excellence. Surrounding the case back bezel, an engraving marks the brand’s 270th anniversary, featuring the Maltese cross logo intertwined with the number 270.
As with all unique timepieces crafted by the Les Cabinotiers workshop, the case back is further inscribed with “Pièce unique” (Unique Piece), “Les Cabinotiers,” and “AC” – representing Atelier Cabinotiers.
For the new Tribute to the Tour de l’Ile single piece edition watches, Vacheron Constantin has chosen a simple display of hours and minutes in order to focus on the artistic beauty of the dials. The mechanical elegance and simplicity of the self-winding Calibre 2460 are enhanced by the finest of finishing, in the tradition of Belle Haute Horlogerie inherited from the Age of Enlightenment. Perlage and Côtes de Genève on the bridges are complemented by a hand-guilloché 18K 5N pink gold winding rotor. Attesting to the quality of the craftsmanship, each watch bears the Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Hallmark) – a seal of excellence that guarantees both the watchmaking workmanship and the origins of the timepiece within the canton of Geneva.
Les Cabinotiers Tribute to the Tour de l’Ile – Miniature
Complemented by a platinum 950 case and brown alligator strap, the Grand Feu enamel dial features a miniature enamel-painted reinterpretation of a lithograph drawn by Jean DuBois (1789–1849) and printed by Spengler & Cie. It captures the view of the tower with the richly detailed tableau of the Place de Bel-Air in the foreground, faithful to the monochrome original in every detail but rendered in pastel coloured enamel. This refined artistry is further enhanced by a 950 platinum case and a rich brown alligator leather strap.
Employing the Geneva technique of enamelling – developed in the city from the 18th century onwards – the dial required one month of meticulous hand craftsmanship to complete. The first challenge was to test pigment colours (which can often change in unpredictable ways when fired) to ensure that, in the finished work, they would correspond as closely as possible to the designer’s drawings.
The enamelling itself is a complex and demanding process that begins with the application of a fondant – a white enamel undercoat – to the 18K white gold dial to create a perfectly smooth surface. Then, the image is painted in multiple layers, using an extremely fine brush. Finally, several layers of translucent enamel are applied, to protect the work and add brilliance and depth. At each stage of this extremely delicate process, each layer must be fired at more than 800°C. For the enameller to begin the next layer, these firings are essential and require great mastery. To ensure the highest quality, careful attention is given to maintaining optimal temperatures, which helps prevent the formation of bubbles or cracks, shrinkage of the enamel, and alteration of the colours.
Les Cabinotiers Tribute to the Tour de l’Ile – Guilloché and miniature
The dial of this watch reinterprets an early 20th-century illustration produced by Charnaux – a photographic workshop and postcard publisher initially located on the Place de Bel-Air, immediately across the river from the Tour de l’Ile.
In adapting the illustration for the dial, Vacheron Constantin rendered the surrounding buildings. This has been translated to the 18K 5N yellow gold dial in an extraordinary union of hand-guillochage and Grand Feu enamel against the soft texture and matte finish of the sandblasted background, which was chosen to amplify the remarkable sense of perspective captured in the image. For the Maître guillocheur, working on the uneven texture of the sandblasted plate added greater complexity to their work and required even more than usual precision. Resulting from multiple intersecting skills, this remarkable dial is the product of approximately 16 hours of meticulous guilloché work and 40 hours of miniature Grand Feu enameling.
On the dial, the fine black lines of the buildings are hand-guillochéd. Every detail, even the most minute, is faithfully reproduced. A wide variety of guilloché patterns are used to differentiate parts of the buildings and enhance the sense of depth and architectural perspective. To create figurative drawings with guillochage – a technique normally used for geometric motifs – required the development of new guilloché motifs from scratch.
At the centre of the dial, the famous Tour de l’Ile is painted in Grand Feu miniature enamel, standing out proudly from the surrounding buildings. To maximise the richness, depth and clarity of colour, multiple layers have been added sequentially: a base layer of white fondant in order to create a smooth surface before starting the enamel work to create the silhouette of the Tour de l’Ile building, then multiple layers of colour topped by two layers of transparent fondant enamel to add brilliance and depth. The piece was fired at more than 800°C after every layer – a total of nine steps – requiring exceptional skill to mitigate all the risks inherent in such a demanding process.
Les Cabinotiers Tribute to the Tour de l’Ile – Engraving
Inspired by an engraving of the Tour de l’Ile and the bridges over the Rhône made in 1822 by Pierre Escuyer (1749-1834), the 18K 5N pink gold dial plate of this model precisely matches the case material. The dial is engraved in bas-relief, a technique in which the engraver draws an outline of the desired motif then carefully carves away the surrounding metal so that the motif is slightly raised from the surface, creating a subtle trompe l’oeil effect.
The master engraver achieves a true tour de force by creating this miniature work on a plate barely a millimeter thick. From the initial sketch, precision is key: each perspective line, drawn with extreme meticulousness, converges towards the vanishing point, breathing remarkable dynamism into the composition. The bas-relief technique then brings the scene to life. By carving into the material, the engraver brings out the volumes and contrasts. The beams of the bell tower, for example, stand out sharply thanks to the depth sculpted around them.
The finishing work requires exceptional dexterity. Chiselling adds depth to the darker areas, such as the trees and windows, while polishing makes the roofs and facades gleam. A subtle satin finish gives the clouds an almost palpable impression of volume. At this minuscule scale, faithfully reproducing the details of the original engraving – the pedestrians on the bridge, the rooster perched on the weather vane – is a feat. This hand-engraved masterpiece required over 140 hours of work.
Technical Specifications:
LES CABINOTIERS TRIBUTE TO THE TOUR DE L’ILE – MINIATURE
Reference
2400C/000P-418C
Calibre
2460
Developed and crafted by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, self-winding
26.2 mm in diameter, 3.6 mm thick
Approximately 40-hour power reserve
4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
182 components
27 jewels
Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
Indications
Hours, minutes
Case
Platinum 950, polished
40 mm in diameter, 9.42 mm thick
Officer and transparent sapphire crystal caseback engraved with the motto “Post Tenebras Lux”
Water-resistance tested at a pressure of 3 bar (approx. 30 metres)
Dial
18K white gold, hand-crafted Grand Feu enamel with miniature-painted technique, depicting the Tour de l’Ile in Geneva
18K white gold hour and minute hands, leaf-shaped, polished
Strap
Brown Mississippiensis alligator leather, square scales, tone on-tone stitching
Buckle
Platinum 950 pin buckle, polished
Half Maltese cross-shaped
Case & accessories
Les Cabinotiers model
Engravings
“Pièce unique”, “Les Cabinotiers” and the “AC” coat of arms, and a Maltese cross with the number 270 on the back of the watch
Single-piece edition timepiece
Price upon request
LES CABINOTIERS TRIBUTE TO THE TOUR DE L’ILE – GUILLOCHÉ AND MINIATURE
Reference
2400C/000P-420C
Calibre
2460
Developed and crafted by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, self-winding
26.2 mm in diameter, 3.6 mm thick
Approximately 40-hour power reserve
4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
182 components
27 jewels
Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
Indications
Hours, minutes
Case
Platinum 950, polished
40 mm in diameter, 9.42 mm thick
Officer and transparent sapphire crystal caseback engraved with the motto “Post Tenebras Lux”
Water-resistance tested at a pressure of 3 bar (approx. 30 metres)
Dial
18K 3N yellow gold, sandblasted, hand guilloché, hand-crafted Grand Feu enamel with miniature-painted technique, depicting the Tour de l’Ile in Geneva
18K white gold hour and minute hands, leaf-shaped, polished
Strap
Brown Mississippiensis alligator leather, square scales, tone-on-tone stitching
Buckle
Platinum 950 pin buckle, polished
Half Maltese cross-shaped
Case & accessories
Les Cabinotiers model
Engravings
“Pièce unique”, “Les Cabinotiers” and the “AC” coat of arms, and a Maltese cross with the number 270 on the back of the watch
Single-piece edition timepiece
Price upon request
LES CABINOTIERS TRIBUTE TO THE TOUR DE L’ILE – ENGRAVING
Reference
2400C/000R-412C
Calibre
2460
Developed and crafted by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, self-winding
26.2 mm in diameter, 3.6 mm thick
Approximately 40-hour power reserve
4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
182 components
27 jewels
Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
Indications
Hours, minutes
Case
18K 5N pink gold, polished
40 mm in diameter, 9.42 mm thick
Officer and transparent sapphire crystal caseback engraved with the motto “Post Tenebras Lux”
Water-resistance tested at a pressure of 3 bar (approx. 30 metres)
Dial
18K 5N pink gold, hand-engraved with the bas-relief technique, depicting the Tour de l’Ile in Geneva
18K 5N pink gold hour and minute hands, leaf-shaped, polished
Strap
Brown Mississippiensis alligator leather, square scales, tone-on-tone stitching
Buckle
18K 5N pink gold pin buckle, polished
Half Maltese cross-shaped
Case & accessories
Les Cabinotiers model
Engravings
“Pièce unique”, “Les Cabinotiers” and the “AC” coat of arms, and a Maltese cross with the number 270 on the back of the watch
Single-piece edition timepiece
Price upon request
For more information please visit Vacheron Constantin