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.

So, for this initial collection, master watchmakers combined their talents with master enamellers - each working in their respective crafts as masters and lovers of their art - to combine ancient and modern techniques and give birth to watches that are exceptional for both their mechanics and their aesthetics. 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.

On the same principle, the Masques series in the Métiers d'Art collection - the first set of which was presented in 2007 - also illustrated to perfection how skills and expertise can be combined. In this case, the skills and expertise were those of master watchmakers and master engravers, who worked hand in hand to create timepieces that were true invitations to travel through time and space in search of humanity's roots, and to reflect upon one of the most beautiful expressions of its soul.

The Pine Tree and Crane Watch - Matsu to tsuru 松と鶴

In Japan, the pine tree has always been prized for its wood and the beauty of its twisted shapes. 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.

Like the pine tree, the crane has also always been a symbol of longevity and noble elegance. Alongside the phoenix, it is one of the birds most wreathed in the legend and mystery of Far Eastern traditions. It is said that not only can it achieve incredible longevity, but once it reaches an age of 600 years, it can live on nothing but cool water. Furthermore, at the beginning of its 2000th year, its immaculate white plumage turns deep black. The crane is also one of the aerial messengers of Taoism's immortals. In Japan, the crane's mythical qualities are joined by a purely aesthetic dimension related to its gracefulness and beautiful plumage. The seasonal arrival of cranes that come to winter in Japan was welcomed joyfully and considered a harbinger of prosperity. For all of these reasons, cranes once enjoyed imperial protection. They were reserved strictly for the Emperor's pleasure, and until the Meiji restoration in 1868, hunting them was prohibited.