By Haitang Yu on June 28, 2011
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The Metiers 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. This is more than a conviction; it is a calling to perpetuate the skills that combine virtuosity with precision, in both the technical and decorative realms. 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 Metiers d'Art "La Symbolique des Laques" series relates the encounter between the men of one of the oldest Japanese lacquer firms - Zohiko,cartier love bracelet price uk, replica watches 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. Experts in the art of maki-e, Zohiko's craftsmen carry on an unequalled tradition of excellence built on artistic continuity and continuously renewed creativity. 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. Maki-e developed very early in Japanese history. It fully matured as an art form between the eighth and twelfth centuries, becoming the predominant method of decoration beginning in the seventeenth century and remaining so to this day. This year the Kame Kaeru Koi watches, dedicated to the aquatic realm, present animals selected from the vast symbolic legacy of Far Eastern artistic traditions. Incarnations of longevity, luck and strength, the frog,cartier love necklace pink gold, turtle and carp disclose their attributes in stylised waters on the enamelled dials. Tag Heuer Carrera Ladies 27mm Watch WV2413.BA0793 No fewer than four months were required to make each one. Each animal lends a powerfully symbolic face to the passing of time orchestrated by the skeletonised version of the ultra-thin Calibre 1003 calibre. 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. Bearing the Geneva hallmark, a guarantee of quality manufacture in the purest Geneva watchmaking tradition, Calibre 1003 remains one of the standards of reference in Fine Watchmaking history. It is the world's thinnest hand-wound mechanical movement, at only 1.64 mm thick. It was designed, developed and manufactured entirely within Vacheron Constantin's workshops.
The Vacheron Constantin Metiers d'Art "La Symbolique des Laques" - Kame Kaeru Koi Set (containing the three watches) is a limited series of 20. Launched last year and already in receipt of an iF Award, the P'6780 Diver from Porsche Design is being issued in a Black Edition. What is not changing is the advanced three-part case construction, comprising a hinged circular stainless steel inner case housing the movement, a titanium bridge structure, which accommodates the case when hinged down, and a black caoutchouc strap featuring a folding clasp. Tag Heuer Carrera Mens Watch WV211A.BA0787 The watch is resistant to a pressure of 100 ATM, which corresponds to a diving depth of 1,000 metres (328 feet). Black watches are very much the trend these days, one that was begun by Porsche Design many years ago. It was Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, founder of the Porsche Design luxury brand, who came up with the world's first-ever all-black watch in 1972. The matt black colour is now integrated within the durable PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) coating applied to the watch. As with all Porsche Design watches, the P'6780 Diver demonstrates a compelling functionality. The three-part construction allows the watch to be operated wearing gloves: this involves using the two upper locking pushers to unlock the hinged inner case and raising it from the safety bridge. The winding crown and bezel can then easily be adjusted.
When the inner case is safely locked within the bridge, neither crown nor bezel can be moved inadvertently. The watch offers outstanding legibility thanks to the contrast of the white hands against the black dial. The lugs are flexible for optimum on-wrist comfort. Omega De-Ville Co-Axial Chronograph Ladies Watch 4877.74.34 The Diver's advanced sealing system keeps the inner case water resistant to a depth of 1,000 metres (328 feet, 100 ATM); no helium valve or screw-down crown are necessary. As is usual with Porsche Design, the use of colour is frugal in the extreme. One solitary blue stripe on the rim designates the first 15 minutes, while the same colour is also used to outline the broad, luminous minute hand. Also coated in luminous material are the remaining hands, baton indices and numerals of the dial and bezel: the optimal underwater legibility they offer at advanced diving depths confers peace of mind during a diver's decompression phase. Back on land, the blue flash against the matt black background looks just great. The Porsche Design P'6780 Diver Black Edition is powered by a highly precise self-winding mechanical Tag Heuer Carrera Mens Watch WV211B.BA0787 Sellita SW 300 caliber.
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