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» SIHH 2010: La symbolique des laques of Vacheron Constantin
Embracing the philosophy of one’s forebears, when it includes this essential humanism, brings a kind of happiness that few are privileged to enjoy[…] … Vacheron Constantin is deeply committed to handing down and developing the watchmaking trades, especially the artistic crafts, which bring together the quintessential skills of the highly specialized decorative arts used in watchmaking (enameller, engraver, guillocheur, and gem-setter)[…] … The Métiers d’Art collection… When knowledge of the spirit resides in the hand that gives life to the object, man endows each of his creations with a soul[…] … When Vacheron Constantin institutionalised the Métiers d’Art collection in 2004 with the limited series of Tribute to the Great Explorers timepieces, it demonstrated its unshakeable will to perpetuate one of its core values: carrying on the traditions of craftsmanship found in fine watchmaking’s artistic trades[…] … The patented movement combined an astonishing display of the time with a dial made even more beautiful by an ancient and complex art: grand feu enamelling[…] … The incredible reaction to the Métiers d’Art – Les Masques collection born of the encounter between Vacheron Constantin and Geneva’s Barbier-Mueller Museum has only strengthened the watch manufacturer’s conviction that today, more than ever, it is important to match the cultural and artistic trades with watchmaking of the highest technical quality[…] … Now, the brand is opening up a whole new horizon for combining watchmaking and decorative techniques, by offering for the first time a Métiers d’Art collection in which part of the work is done outside Geneva – and in fact on a far-off continent, since mysterious term maki-e refers to the crown jewel of traditional ancestral Japanese lacquer techniques[…] … How the “Métiers d’Art – La symbolique des laques” collection came about The idea of a project combining maki-e and watchmaking had long been filed away in the drawers of Vacheron Constantin’s design department[…] … The spark was finally to come from Zôhiko, which had the same idea in reverse – combining the talents of the watchmaking arts with those of the lacquer arts[…] … While chance and luck play a role in every meeting, a true relationship can be built only on the basis of deep affinities and shared values[…] … Of this union between the craftsmen of one of the oldest Japanese lacquer companies, Zôhiko – headquartered in Kyoto since its founding in 1661 – and Vacheron Constantin – the world’s oldest watchmaker, which has been making watches in Geneva without interruption since its beginnings in 1755 – was born a remarkable embodiment of the same core values: the Métiers d’Art – La symbolique des laques collection[…] … Three Years, Nine Designs, Sixty Sets True to the spirit of the Métiers d’Art collection, the symbolique des laques theme will change over a period of three years, with each year bringing a new set of three watches in a limited series of twenty[…] … Each design, which may stem from the world of animals, plants, or minerals, has meaning and can be combined with another: divine or heroic figures are associated with animals, these animals with plants, the plants with virtues or abstract qualities, and so on[…] … The designs often make reference to literary works, poems, or legends[…] … Nonetheless, so as to magnify the overall harmony and to ensure that the maki-e craftsmanship is suitably highlighted, Vacheron Constantin even went so far as to opt for a ruthenium treatment which – by toning down the natural radiance of gold – creates a particularly elegant effect on this model[…] … The sapphire crystals on either side enable one to admire the exceptional finishing, and in particular the bevelling craftsmanship performed in the workshops of the Geneva-based Manufacture[…] … Meanwhile the deceptively simple lines of the delicately rounded case radiate an exemplary understatement and purity entirely in tune with the zen spirit of the Métiers d’Art – La symbolique des laques collection[…] … This classic trio of the Chinese symbolic system was a very early arrival in Japan, where it is just as popular as in its country of origin[…] … ” Each of the “Three Friends of Winter” is paired with a Bird For example, the long-lived pine is accompanied by the crane, whose whiteness recalls the accumulation of years[…] … Each watch has a double face lacquered using the maki-e technique[…] … The main design of the tree on the front of the watch is matched by the bird design on the back, facing the wrist[…] … Here, too, Vacheron Constantin’s choice falls within a Japanese tradition, as many Japanese lacquerware objects are decorated even on their hidden surfaces, for example, on the insides of lids or the bottoms of boxes[…] … Even so, its pre-eminent role in art and literature largely reflects traditions borrowed from the continent[…] … These traditions were inspired in large part by the fact that the pine is an evergreen, and so is associated with longevity and steadfastness[…] … Both Chinese art and Japanese art considered the pine to be one of the “virtuous” plants, both as the symbol of winter and the new year, and as the main symbol of long life and even immortality[…] … Furthermore, at the beginning of its 2000th year, its immaculate white plumage turns deep black[…] … In Japan, the crane’s mythical qualities are joined by a purely aesthetic dimension related to its gracefulness and beautiful plumage[…] … The Bamboo and Sparrow Watch – Take to suzume 竹と雀 In Taoism, and to a lesser extent Buddhism, the tubular structure of bamboo symbolises the notion of emptiness[…] … Similarly, bamboo dies after it flowers, but many kinds flower only once each century, which means that they do, after all, reach a respectable age[…] … Despite their restless and sometimes quarrelsome ways, sparrows are considered to be a symbol of loyalty in Japan[…] … ” In collections of popular legends, the sparrow is often represented as having a strong sense of honour and duty[…] … Their subtle perfume spreads through the coldest month of winter, awakening the first hope of spring[…] … Although neither the plum tree nor its flowers are particularly magnificent, they have such a fresh, exquisite character that they delight the spirit in the midst of winter’s desolation[…] … They are frequently depicted with snow as well, as plum trees often open so early that their flowers seem to blend in with the snowflakes[…] … What is maki-e? Maki-e 蒔絵 – which literally means “sprinkled picture” – is the most sophisticated of all lacquer techniques, designating a decorative operation in which the design is created by delicately sprinkling gold or silver dust over lacquer – usually black – while it is still wet[…] … The lacquer is made from the sap of the lacquer tree, Rhus verniciflua[…] … This tree, a relative of poison ivy, originated on the high plateaus of central Asia or Tibet[…] … Lacquer techniques vary from country to country and are based on the quality of the lacquer and the use to which the objects will be put[…] … The three categories most representative of the lacquer arts are carving, inlay, and maki-e[…] … It was highly prized there, however, as evidenced by the many orders placed from the continent over the centuries[…] … One of the greatest beauties of lacquer is that it can decorate the most precious of objects as easily as those used in everyday life[…] … Lacquerware bowls and crockery have come down through the centuries, as have variously shaped boxes with all sorts of uses: document holders, tea caddies, incense boxes, paintbrush holders, inkwells, card cases, pill boxes, etc[…] … While there has always been lacquered furniture, the preference has almost always been for small objects, for work that is enchanting in its meticulous perfection[…] … Zôhiko In 1661, Yasui Shichibei 安井七兵衛 (1632–1692) opened a shop he named Zôgeya 象牙屋 “At the Sign of the Ivory”, where he sold lacquerware and Chinese products[…] … His successor was Kusunoki Jihei 楠治兵衛 (1659–1714), who focused on lacquerware[…] … Zôhiko has had a longstanding relationship with the Japanese Imperial Court[…] … He was unanimously considered to be a pioneering figure in the lacquer industry[…] … He also founded a maki-e school that became a standard of reference for many specialized lacquer artists[…] … Sharing with Vacheron Constantin gave rise to an extraordinarily intense collaboration, the fruit of which is called the Métiers d’Art – La symbolique des laques collection[…] … Vacheron Constantin and Japan… a resolutely long-term relationship During the early years of 1800 an eminent Swiss historian, Alfred Chapuis, referred to Vacheron Constantin’s first commercial contacts with Asia, especially China[…] … In Russia, it was a regular supplier of the Imperial Court, and in 1847 it gained access to the Indian market[…] … After that, new developments came rapidly and of course the repercussions were felt even as far away as Switzerland[…] … On February 6, 1864, Switzerland signed its first official document with Japan: a commercial treaty allowing Swiss citizens to settle in the country’s open ports[…] … At this time, Vacheron Constantin was already held in high regard in Japan, since in 1867 – the year of his coronation – the Meiji Emperor had planned to visit the company’s workshops during his visit to Geneva[…] … He was prevented by a last-minute invitation from Monsieur de Rothschild[…] … In 1884 Japan adopted universal time, which Switzerland did not do until 1892, or France until 1911[…] … So Japanese clocks, or wadokei 和時計, were of different design than western clocks, and the adoption of universal time involved more just than a simple adjustment[…] … The “Japanese Style” In 1906, Vacheron Constantin opened its first shop on the island in the heart of Geneva[…] … Right from the beginning, the shop built up a regular and discriminating Japanese clientele from contacts made with people passing through as well as orders from Japan[…] … It very quickly became evident that the Japanese clients had such specific and pronounced tastes that an entire aesthetic code developed and became known as “Japanese style,” with flat, simple, elegant watches and a preference for the colours white and silver[…] … The period during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that followed the World’s Fair in Paris and the Exhibition of Arts in Japan, which created sensations, marked the golden age of “Japanism” in Europe[…] … Ferdinand Verger and his descendants, Vacheron Constantin’s Paris representative until 1939, were true creative geniuses who knew how to take advantage of the general fascination with Japan[…] … He made many Japanese-inspired watches for Vacheron Constantin, some of them playing with enamel to create the illusion of lacquer, and others in genuine lacquer that are still part of the private Vacheron Constantin heritage collection[…] … In 1953, His Imperial Highness Prince Akihito, now the reigning Emperor of Japan, visited Vacheron Constantin’s manufacture and the original shop on the island, and did not neglect to sign the Company’s guest book[…] … The History of Lacquer, the Secret of the Precious “Varnish” The tree that yields the true varnish of Japan is called urushi[…] … This tree produces a whitish juice that the Japanese use to varnish their furniture, their dishes, their wooden plates that are used by all kinds of people, from the Emperor to the peasants: for at Court and at the monarch’s table, varnished utensils are preferred over those of gold and silver[…] … Engelbert Kaempfer, a German physician travelling in Japan This excerpt sums up the basic essentials of Japanese lacquer[…] … The word “lacquer” means the substance, and is also used as a short form to describe a piece of lacquerware, i[…] … Today, there are three main categories of lacquer: true lacquer, lac, and varnishes[…] … True lacquer is the sap of a tree that is found only in the Far East[…] … Lac is a resin made from the secretions of an insect that lives in India and Southeast Asia[…] … These two forms of lacquer differ in colour, and even more in their strength and solidity[…] … Varnishes include all of the European substitutes for oriental lacquer[…] … There are all kinds of such imitations, both plant- and animal-based versions, and now synthetics as well, of highly variable quality[…] … These include, for example, the varnishes used on a Stradivarius violin as well as much more humble and commonplace variants[…] … But none of them can compete with true lacquer’s inherent qualities[…] … Lacquer: Magnificence and Origins in the Far East In both China and Japan, the use of lacquer dates back to the Neolithic age[…] … Archaeological excavations have established the oldest dates as being close to 6000 B[…] … At that time, lacquer was used to cover utilitarian items such as ritual objects[…] … Two pigments were used to colour the lacquer: cinnabar for red, and wood charcoal for black[…] … It was not long at all before lacquer came to be appreciated not only for its protective qualities, but also for its ornamental side[…] … China and Japan quickly developed the lacquer arts to their highest level[…] … , the story of lacquer in these two countries has been one of constant dialogue and emulation[…] … So it was that Japan developed the magic of maki-e, the technique now found in the Métiers d’Art – La symbolique des laques collection[…] … The History of Lacquer in Japan In the fifth and sixth centuries, China’s political and cultural influence on Japan was extremely strong[…] … It touched all areas, and Chinese lacquer techniques, which at this time were much more highly developed, were also transmitted to Japan[…] … Lacquer’s importance to the Japanese economy is attested by the Taiho Code (Japanese constitution), of 701, which provided for the creation of a Lacquer Bureau, Nuribe no tsukasa 漆部司, within the Department of Finances; this office required aristocrats to plant lacquer trees on their properties and pay part of their taxes in lacquerware[…] … Workshops produced lacquered items for the Imperial Court, especially, and for temples throughout the country as demand continued to increase[…] … The lacquer techniques of that day still relied very heavily on China and it is not always easy to determine an object’s provenance[…] … In contrast, the essentials of this technique were present, as witnessed by the variety of lacquered objects preserved at the Shosoin treasury in Nara[…] … It is the world’s oldest museum[…] … The seven lacquer techniques identified among the Shosoin objects highlight the importance of this art form from very early in Japanese history[…] … Most of the processes used later were variations and improvements on these original techniques[…] … The Golden Age of Lacquer – The end of the eighth century marked Japan’s return to its own values, to such an extent that continental influence suffered a drastic decline[…] … The lacquer arts were fully representative of this new development, and in the history of Japanese lacquer, the period from the late eighth century to the twelfth is called the golden age[…] … At this juncture, ceramic techniques had not yet begun to develop rapidly, and utilitarian objects such as furniture were made primarily of wood – an excellent base for lacquer[…] … Lacquer, Tea and Zen – Around the thirteenth century, Zen Buddhism was introduced to Japan, along with tea[…] … Many of the objects used to store or serve tea are lacquered pieces: tea caddies and boxes for incense, trays, bamboo spoons, etc[…] … The fluid forms and sophisticated decoration of lacquerware make a perfect match for the aesthetics of tea[…] … Lacquer and the West – The first contacts between Japan and the West were made by Portuguese and Spanish Jesuits during the first half of the sixteenth century[…] … In addition, they instituted watchmaking classes, which led the Japanese to develop their own clocks[…] … These same Jesuits were behind the first exportation of Japanese lacquerware to the West[…] … The European aristocracy developed a wild infatuation with lacquered pieces, creating a true export industry in Japan with products specifically tailored to western tastes[…] … In Europe, offices and drawing rooms decorated entirely with lacquer furniture were all the rage[…] … One of the most famous lacquerware collections is that of Queen Marie Antoinette (1755-1793), which she had inherited from her mother, Maria-Theresa of Austria (1717-1780)[…] … While China was also exporting lacquer, interest in Japanese lacquerware was so great in Europe between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries that the term “japan” became a synonym for lacquer, just as “china” has come to mean porcelain[…] … The Birth of Zôhiko Between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, lacquer became more democratic[…] … Originally reserved for the upper echelons of society, lacquerware became accessible to a broader public[…] … It was in this context that in 1661, Yasui Shichibei opened the shop that was later to become Zôhiko[…] … ” The most sought-after of these were medicine containers or seal cases, inrô 印籠, and pipe cases – both of which became settings for highly perfected lacquer techniques[…] … In 1868, after over two centuries of turning inward during which contact with the outside world was extremely limited, Japan again opened up to the world, and the West in particular[…] … Paradoxically, it was foreign enthusiasm for some such traditions — including lacquer — that ensured, first, their survival, then their revival[…] … What is True Lacquer? Lacquer is made from the sap of the lacquer tree, Rhus verniciflua[…] … This tree, a relative of poison ivy, originated on the high plateaus of central Asia or Tibet[…] … Today, the lacquer tree grows only in southern China, Korea, Vietnam and Japan, but it seems to have had a much wider range in the past[…] … The consistency of the substance collected is similar to that of latex[…] … It is harvested throughout the spring and summer, but the best-quality lacquer is gathered between June and August; it comes from the central section of the trunk and is collected and processed separately from the rest of the harvest[…] … It is reserved for the top coats of lacquer and for finishing pieces[…] … Lacquer of lower quality is used for the underlying layers[…] … Characteristics – Lacquer has unusual chemical properties that give it very specific characteristics[…] … In its pure state, it can dry only if applied in extremely thin layers: beyond thicknesses of 0[…] … Once it has dried, lacquer will seal porous materials such as wood, bamboo, paper or fabric, which then become completely resistant to moisture, salt, heat, liquids – including alcohol – food, and even acids[…] … As a result, lacquer containers are especially well-suited to serving, storing and transporting food and drink[…] … Lacquer is also an excellent adhesive, even for dissimilar materials[…] … Lacquer has only one weakness: light[…] … When exposed to strong light, lacquer fades, dries out and decomposes[…] … Lacquer’s great strength, solidity and stability depend mainly on the number of layers applied to the object[…] … There can be anywhere from ten to a hundred layers, with the thickness of each ranging from 0,8 to 1 mm[…] … A good-quality lacquer finish will not erode even after one or two centuries[…] … By way of comparison, an oil painting begins to flake after ten years, and chemical varnishes retain their shine for only twenty or thirty years[…] … The Chemistry of Lacquer – The hardening of lacquer is an oxidation process that has nothing in common with ordinary drying or evaporation[…] … The main constituents of raw lacquer are an antioxidant molecule called urushiol, and an enzyme, laccase[…] … In the presence of oxygen, laccase acts as a catalyst for the oxidation of urushiol and causes permanent hardening of the raw lacquer, which originally is viscous[…] … In its raw liquid state, lacquer is toxic and causes severe skin irritation, though some people are immune to this[…] … The composition of the sap is 74% urushiol, 4% gum, 2% laccase and 20% water[…] … The higher the percentage of urushiol, the harder the lacquer will be[…] … The hardness of the lacquer is the mark of its superior quality[…] … In Japan, lacquers benefit from the particularly high percentage of urushiol in the native trees[…] … Preparation – Once harvested, the lacquer is stored in a wooden barrel before being refined[…] … It is first filtered through a cloth to remove impurities and make the lacquer sufficiently fluid[…] … To accomplish this, the sap is stored from twelve to twenty-four hours in drying chambers (muro, “room” or urushiburo “lacquer bath”), kept at a temperature of 20 to 25°C and a humidity of 75 to 85%[…] … The drying chambers also serve to protect the objects from dust between two layers of lacquer[…] … Supports – Refined lacquer can be applied to many materials, including textiles, bamboo, leather, ceramic, and metal[…] … For example, samurai armour and helmets were often lacquered[…] … To prepare the base, all cracks and uneven surfaces are completely smoothed out so the lacquer can be applied to a perfectly even surface[…] … A lacquer artist calls on outside craftsmen for this work[…] … Once the base has been prepared, the object is ready for application of the preparatory layers of lacquer[…] … Each successive layer must be applied, dried, then sanded before the next layer can be added[…] … The first layers are the thickest, the last the thinnest[…] … The same is true of the abrasives used: the first are the coarsest, the last are the finest[…] … Techniques – Lacquer techniques vary by country, quality of the lacquer and the use for which the objects are intended[…] … There are approximately one hundred and fifty lacquered pieces from the eighth century preserved in the Shosoin museum in Nara, and seven different processes were used for these pieces alone[…] … But the three most representative categories of the lacquer arts are carving, inlay and maki-e[…]
» Exceptional timepieces: Métiers d’Art La Symbolique des Laques
The Métiers d’Art “La Symbolique des Laques” watch series was born of a respect for traditions and for the watchmaking creativity that since 1755 has been convincing Vacheron Constantin of the need to pass on skills, art and the craftsman’s motions so they will be written on the pages of history[…] … La Symbolique des Laques Echoing the Métiers d’Art “Les Masques” series born of the encounter between Vacheron Constantin and Geneva’s Barbier-Mueller Museum, the Métiers d’Art “La Symbolique des Laques” opus is another illustration of the alchemy between the cultural, artistic and Fine Watchmaking crafts[…] … What better tribute to its origins could Vacheron Constantin now pay than this Art collection that brings together watchmaking technique, history and decorative technique? As a human adventure, an invitation to discover new horizons and to explore a new place where craftsmanship and innovation meet at their zenith, the Métiers d’Art “La Symbolique des Laques” series relates the encounter between the men of one of the oldest Japanese lacquer firms – Zohiko, located in Kyoto since its founding in 1661 – and those of Vacheron Constantin, the world’s oldest watchmaker to have been producing continuously since its creation in 1755[…] … While chance and luck play a role in every meeting, a true relationship can be built only on the basis of deep affinities and shared values[…] … Maki-e, which as the most sophisticated technique of the art of lacquering is the province of a few rare craftsmen, means “sprinkled picture[…] … ” It consists of creating a design by sprinkling gold or silver dust over lacquer – usually black – while it is still wet[…] … The lacquer is made from the sap of the lacquer tree, Rhus verniciflua, which originated on the high plateaus of central Asia and Tibet but today grows only in southern China, Vietnam and Japan[…] … True to the spirit of the Métiers d’Art collection, the “La Symbolique des Laques” series was created over three years; each year saw a new set of three watches in a limited series of twenty[…] … Here made in 18-carat gold, which is harder to work, this legendary movement is treated with ruthenium to match the dials and humbly allow the superlative excellence of the art of maki-e to shine through[…] … It was designed, developed and manufactured entirely within Vacheron Constantin’s workshops[…] … The sapphire crystals on both sides of the watches reveal exceptional finishes, including chamfering, drawing and engraving, all done by hand[…] … And if it decides to live in someone’s garden, it protects that person from danger and bad luck[…] … Its glistening eye is made using the hirame technique, which consists of spreading hirame powder before applying a lacquer that is to be darkened; its body captures the light thanks to momidashi polishing done with oil stones[…] … The kakiwari technique, which reveals the underlying layer of lacquer, is used to depict the detailed veining in the plants’ leaves[…] … The regular round pools, which seem to ripple away to infinity on the dial, reflect the calm and serenity that emanate from this watch[…] … Many Chinese and Japanese legends praise its ability to swim upstream to negotiate rivers and waterfalls, despite currents that often are very strong[…] … The coloured lacquers, applied to the maki-e powder using the iro-katame technique and then polished, contrast with the black background[…] … They were created with the maki bokashi technique, which uses gold powder dispersed on the lacquer to blur the pattern[…]