These watches from LV, Vacheron Constantin and Hermes draw inspiration from architecture, paintings & scarves

Art-inspired watches represent a fascinating niche in the world of haute horlogerie, in which the meticulous craftsmanship of watchmaking converges with the boundless creativity of the arts. This fusion results in wearable masterpieces that capture the aesthetic and emotional depth of paintings, sculptures, architecture, and more.

The allure of art-inspired watches lies in their ability to tell a story, evoke emotions, and express individuality, all while serving as a testament to the technical prowess and artistic sensibility of the many creators that realised them.

While artist collaborations aren’t new in the watchmaking world, maisons like Vacheron Constantin, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton take craftsmanship to a whole different level in the artistic sense. Collaborating with museums or even architects to produce limited edition timepieces that capture the essence of specific artworks or artistic styles, these creations feature intricate dials that replicate famous paintings, employ traditional and innovative materials to mimic textures and colours, or embody architectural principles in their design and structure.

Such endeavours not only require the highest level of craftsmanship and technological innovation, but also a deep understanding and appreciation of the art they aim to encapsulate.

In the examples below, the watches are a celebration of human creativity and artisanship, highlighting the extraordinary capabilities of artisans, who deftly translate the grandeur of art into the miniature canvas of a watch dial.

VACHERON CONSTANTIN X THE MET: MASTERPIECE ON YOUR WRIST

First introduced in 2019, the Masterpiece On your Wrist initiative offers watch connoisseurs a unique opportunity to own a bespoke single-piece edition of a Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers timepiece, whose dial flaunts an enamel reproduction of an artwork housed in the world’s preeminent museums. 

In 2023, Vacheron Constantin joined forces with The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), adding a vast array of iconic and beloved artwork to the programme’s catalogue. This partnership is one that is rooted in a shared commitment to safeguarding, as well as transmitting knowledge and expertise. Each boasting an extensive history of conservatorship in artistic know-how, both institutions seek to share their commitment to the arts together. Beyond the first project, which is the extension of Masterpiece On Your Wrist, the multi-year partnership includes a series of mission-driven projects, such as an artist-in-residency programme and other upcoming educational initiatives.

As an illustration, Vacheron Constantin and the MET have rendered four awe-inspiring examples to showcase how masterpieces – executed with metiers d’art such as miniature enamel painting or grisaille enamelling – from the museum’s extensive catalogue will be reproduced on a watch dial. These include paintings, such as Wheat Field with Cypresses by Vincent van Gogh, Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies by Claude Monet and Northeaster by Winslow Homer or even sculptures, like Diana by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

The commissioning client will get a private tour of the MET with its experts and curators, who will guide them in selecting their masterpiece, as well as a visit to Vacheron Constantin’s manufacture in Geneva to meet the master watchmakers and artisans, who will undertake the project. The culmination of this process will result in a one-of-a-kind creation, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from both the museum and Vacheron Constantin.

Clients can select from three Vacheron Constantin movements: The manual-winding 2755 TMR movement, which combines a minute repeater with the timekeeping precision of a Maltese cross-shaped tourbillon regulator; the in-house Calibre 1731, an extremely slim minute repeater movement; or the self-winding Calibre 2460 SC, a time-only movement with central seconds.

SLIM D'HERMES LE SACRE DES SAISONS

If you’re a fan of Hermes’ renowned carres, or silk scarves, then these timepieces are for you. Crafted by experienced artisans, the series of four limited edition Slim d'Hermes Le Sacre des Saisons creations showcase a range of handcrafts that are as demanding as they are remarkable. Each representing a season, four animal figures – featured on a silk scarf named Le Sacre des Saisons by French artist Pierre Marie – take on a new artistic dimension on the watch dial.

The beauty of nature and the depth of time are reflected in the richness of the motifs, which are inspired by the costumes of 17th- and 20th-century French and Russian ballets. Rendered on a refined dial elegantly framed by a 38.5mm gold case, each animal in this mischievous bestiary embodies Marie’s narrative universe and baroque fantasy. All four Slim d'Hermes watches are powered by the Manufacture H1950 ultra-thin mechanical self-winding movement. Each issued in a 12-piece edition, they are presented with a matte or smooth alligator leather strap.

In winter, an ice wolf in paillonne enamel twirls in a white gold case set with 52 baguette-cut diamonds. To achieve this, the craftsmen had to insert gold or silver flakes between enamel layers meticulously to create a play on light, transparency, and depth.

Framed by a rose gold case set with 66 diamonds, spring – in the form of a horse adorned with flowers – is born from the patient touch of the artisan, who uses a brush to micro-paint numerous layers to lemon chrysoprase stone.

Summer, represented by a lion, is engraved in sapphire crystal, and painted from the back of the dial. This process, which lends the image depth and brilliance, is enhanced by a white gold case set with 66 diamonds.

Lastly, autumn takes shape in the hollows and reliefs of gold sculpted using traditional burins and chisels. Its hand-painted features and volumes reveal a flamboyant eagle that unfurls its wings within the slender white gold case.

LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR MOON FLYING TOURBILLON POINCON DE GENEVE SAPPHIRE FRANK GEHRY

This watch is the result of two years’ work between Louis Vuitton and renowned architect, Frank Gehry, who is known for his bold, postmodernist designs. Following the Canadian architect’s design of the Fondation Louis Vuitton building in Paris and the Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul in 2014 and 2019 respectively, this timepiece is Gehry’s first foray into the world of high watchmaking.

Gehry found inspiration for the dial from his work on the Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul, which boasts a rippling glass structure that floats over the building's roof. Reminiscent of the glass ship he built for the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, he created a mini structure in watch form that provides the same impressions of airiness and depth. To reinterpret the powerful yet poetic motion of boat sails, Gehry replicated the effect by printing a large-scale photograph of the 2022 Tambour Moon Saphir before crumpling the paper to create the dial’s design.

Crafting a timepiece no larger than 48.3mm that captures Gehry's architectural ethos, while pushing the boundaries of transparency proved to be a formidable challenge. To achieve this, the crystalline face of the fully transparent Tambour Moon was made from a single 200kg block of sapphire. The case, dial, crown, lugs, and hands were also cut from this same gem, which is the hardest in the world after the diamond.

A miniature sculpture as thin as a sheet of paper, the dial alone took 250 hours to manufacture – one of the most difficult ever made by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Artisans sculpted the sapphire by hand, while dial makers used medical tools to reproduce precise asymmetric forms and curved swirls in satin and matte finishes.

Using diamond powder and a diamond-tipped drill, artisans created mattified parts on the dial. This process was so delicate that they had to stop frequently to prevent the sapphire from getting damaged by heat or the tools’ vibrations. Since the thin dial was too fragile to be placed on a mount, it had to be held in each artisan’s hand as they worked on it through binocular microscopes.

This Tambour Moon – the very first watch with a sapphire dial and case to bear the prestigious Poincon de Geneve seal – is powered by the manufacture flying tourbillon LFT MM05.01 movement that was entirely developed and assembled at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton in Geneva.

The sapphire glass masterpiece allows the beauty of every gear to shine, including the chamfering and satin finishes applied to even the smallest component. The delicately openworked calibre is two-toned to highlight its contrasts. Additionally, the solid rose gold plate features a concentric satin finish, while the gears and flying tourbillon are rhodium plated. Equipped with an 80-hour power reserve, the hand-wound mechanical movement displays a Monogram Flower within the tourbillon carriage. As a final touch, Gehry’s signature adorns the caseback, underscoring the uniqueness of the Tambour Moon Tourbillon Poinçon de Geneve Sapphire.