Ora-ïto for Vacheron Constantin

For the festive season, Vacheron Constantin commissioned French designer Ora-ïto to revisit one of its watchmaking icons: the Patrimony watch. Inspired by the celestial phenomenon of “Baily pearls”, Ora-ïto has created an elegant, sophisticated version that combines apparent simplicity with complex refinement.

A dialogue between minimalism and complexity

The concept of “simplexity”, dear to Ora-ïto, guides his creative approach. It’s a subtle balance where outward simplicity masks technical and aesthetic complexity. The Patrimony watch, pure and minimalist in essence, finds a new expression here thanks to the addition of guilloché grooves on its dial, recalling the play of light of the “Baily pearls” observed during solar eclipses. This phenomenon, immortalized in an award-winning photograph by Yu Jun, inspired the designer to sublimate this emblematic timepiece.

Details that make all the difference

Ora-ïto’s reinterpretation blends vintage references with contemporary touches. The burgundy-brown leather strap, designed to evoke the armchairs of the 70s, dialogues harmoniously with a yellow gold case. This color combination recalls the aesthetic codes of the iconic Italian racing cars of the same era, created by the likes of Giorgetto Giugiaro and Giovanni Bertone.

Every element has been thought out with meticulous precision, from the 6 o’clock date that matches the bracelet to the curvature of the hands that perfectly match the dial. These details, often imperceptible at first glance, give the watch exceptional aesthetic depth.

A watch as a tribute to craftsmanship

Beyond its design, this Patrimony illustrates the expertise of Vacheron Constantin‘s craftsmen, whose meticulous metal guilloché work echoes the lunar reliefs that inspired Ora-ïto. By combining astronomical poetry and horological excellence, this collaboration embodies a rare fusion of art, technique and design.

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