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Lot Essay
US$15,500-23,000
The present watch is part of a limited series, launched in 1994 to honour the memory of the famous Dutch cartographer and humanist Gerardus Mercator, who conceived the first projections of the globe. When launched, the Vacheron Constantin series was regarded as horologically innovative for its retrograde hours and minutes as well as hand-painted enamel dial. Each dial of the Mercator is meticulously enamelled using the champlevé technique in a process that involves the carving of cells into 18k gold and each layered application of vitreous enamel requiring a carefully firing in the kiln at a temperature of 700 to 800 degrees. Once the last firing is completed, the finest of details is hand painted with the aid of a binocular microscope. This present lot, featuring the twelve Chinese zodiac signs, bears great significance in Chinese culture. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha invited all the animals to join him to celebrate the new year and to honour the dozen animals that attended, a year was named after each animal in order of arrival and people born in that year would possess the personality traits of that particular animal.
The present watch is part of a limited series, launched in 1994 to honour the memory of the famous Dutch cartographer and humanist Gerardus Mercator, who conceived the first projections of the globe. When launched, the Vacheron Constantin series was regarded as horologically innovative for its retrograde hours and minutes as well as hand-painted enamel dial. Each dial of the Mercator is meticulously enamelled using the champlevé technique in a process that involves the carving of cells into 18k gold and each layered application of vitreous enamel requiring a carefully firing in the kiln at a temperature of 700 to 800 degrees. Once the last firing is completed, the finest of details is hand painted with the aid of a binocular microscope. This present lot, featuring the twelve Chinese zodiac signs, bears great significance in Chinese culture. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha invited all the animals to join him to celebrate the new year and to honour the dozen animals that attended, a year was named after each animal in order of arrival and people born in that year would possess the personality traits of that particular animal.