Vacheron Constantin Artelier Cabinotiers Special Order watches

The Atelier Cabinotiers Special Order (sometimes written "Artelier") is Vacheron Constantin's bespoke service: since 2007 it has let clients commission a custom-made watch. The name comes from the cabinotiers, the craftsmen who worked in Geneva in the 18th century in small top-floor workshops, placed there for the daylight and known as cabinets.

Two commissions show the scale of the work. The Vladimir (80253), a 47 mm pink gold watch, took four years to make; its manually wound, Geneva Seal movement has 891 components and powers 17 complications. Reference 57260, unveiled in 2015 for the brand's 260th anniversary, has 57 complications and took three watchmakers eight years to build for a single client. The work has continued: in 2024 Vacheron Constantin showed Les Cabinotiers The Berkley Grand Complication, a pocket watch with 63 complications.

Under the Atelier name are also the Philosophia (80173), a 43 mm pink gold watch, and two 45 mm white gold pieces, the Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600 and the Symphonia Grande Sonnerie 1860. Other commissions carry the Les Cabinotiers name. La Caravelle 1950 is a 39 mm pink gold watch with an enamel dial. The Imperial Tiger, Majestic Tiger and Wild Panda pieces share a 41 mm case, 12.4 mm thick, in pink or white gold, with multicolour dials that use wood. The Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar is 42 mm, in pink gold with a brown dial or white gold with a blue one. The Singing Birds, named Hummingbird, Blue Tit, Blue Jay and Robin, are 40 mm with enamel dials.

The Maître Cabinotier Retrograde Armillary Tourbillon 1990 stands apart: a 45.7 mm white gold case, 20.6 mm thick, with a skeleton dial. Like every commission in this group, it is a unique piece.