Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Celestial – The Aries Edition

 

I don’t read my horoscope. I don’t know my moon rising. I can’t tell you if Mercury being in retrograde is good or bad. All I know is I’m a Sagittarius, which basically means I have a tendency to say yes to things I probably shouldn’t. Which is exactly why, when I heard Vacheron Constantin had released a Zodiac-themed Métiers d’Art collection, I dove right in - even though the watch I’m talking about today is for Aries, not me.

The “Tribute to the Celestial” series is made up of 12 different models - one for each Zodiac sign - and the Aries version is the one I’ve been obsessing over. Not because I’m suddenly an astrology convert, but because this thing is pure mechanical art. And while Zodiac watches aren’t exactly a new idea (Patek’s done it, Blancpain’s done it, Vacheron themselves have dipped into that well before), this one’s got enough technical chops and artistic soul to make me forget all about my sign.

Source: Hodinkee

A Little Brand Context

Vacheron Constantin has been making watches since 1755. Let that sink in. That’s older than the United States, older than Beethoven’s first symphony, and older than your great-great-great-great-grandfather’s pocket watch. 

This Aries watch takes inspiration from a 2021 pièce unique that had a minute repeater, a tourbillon, and a detailed sky chart. They’ve stripped away the repeater and sky chart this time, but kept the gorgeous tourbillon and poured the creative energy into the dial and gem setting. The result is less of a “let’s cram in every complication” piece and more of a “let’s make the prettiest technical watch we can” situation.

Under the Hood - Calibre 2160

This isn’t just a pretty face - the movement here is the Calibre 2160, a peripherally wound tourbillon calibre. If that sentence made your eyes glaze over, here’s the breakdown: most automatic watches have a rotor that swings around in the middle, blocking part of your view of the movement. A peripheral rotor does the same job, but it’s mounted on the edge, leaving the whole movement visible. It’s trickier to make, but the payoff is worth it - especially on a watch where the finishing is a major selling point.

The movement beats at a leisurely 2.5 Hz (18,000 vph) and offers an 80-hour power reserve, which is plenty for something you’re not exactly going to wear mowing the lawn. The tourbillon cage is beautifully symmetrical, with a blued screw that doubles as a running seconds indicator - a little functional detail that watch nerds will appreciate.

Finishing-wise, it’s classic Geneva Seal work: Geneva stripes, anglage, brushed surfaces. Not the ultra-deep hand-polished internal angles you’ll see from indie guys like Simon Brette, but this is still serious haute horlogerie. And unlike a lot of ultra-thin calibres that feel like oversized credit cards, this one keeps its proportions nice and compact - 5.65 mm thick and just under 30 mm across.

Source: Hodinkee

Case & Stones

Here’s where things start going crazy. The 39 mm white gold case is set with 96 baguette-cut blue sapphires, totaling about 3.87 carats. They run around the bezel, flow down the lugs, and even wrap around the crown. The buckle gets the gemstone treatment too.

Now, I’ve seen gem-set watches that go full “Las Vegas high roller” mode, and I’ve seen others where the stones feel like an afterthought. This one hits a sweet spot - the stones accent the case without overpowering it. They’re smaller on the lugs and buckle, creating a nice visual gradient. It’s wearable (in the “I own a yacht” sense, not the “I’m wearing this to the grocery store” sense) and, importantly, it still lets the dial be the main attraction.

The case is just 10.7 mm thick, which is impressive considering the tourbillon inside. That’s slimmer than most dress watches with this level of complexity.

Source: Hodinkee

The Dial - Where the Magic Happens

We all know the dial is why you’re here. Each “Tribute to the Celestial” watch has its own Zodiac sign rendered in hand-guilloché, with the matching constellation marked in tiny brilliant-cut diamonds.

The process for making one dial is insane. It starts with an 18K gold disc, marked with the outlines of the sign and constellation. Then there’s sunburst brushing, opaline detailing (on the “human” Zodiac signs), and a guilloché engraving technique that Vacheron developed specifically for this collection. That guilloché work alone takes about 16 hours per dial.

After that, they cut the aperture for the tourbillon, apply a rich blue coating, partially machine it away to reveal gold lines, then lacquer it. Finally, they set the diamond “stars” and apply the white gold indices. No single artisan makes the whole dial - different specialists handle each stage - so one slip at the end could ruin days of work.

The Aries version features the ram in fine guilloché detail, with the constellation floating above it in diamonds. The outer minute track is matte and slightly darker, which frames the center beautifully and helps separate the dial from the gem-set bezel.

If you showed me those four constellation diamonds without context, I wouldn’t see a ram. My brain would probably land on “kite” or “lopsided square.” But that’s not really the point. The point is that the execution is jaw-dropping, and it’s one of the most creative uses of diamonds I’ve seen lately.

Source: Hodinkee

Wearability & Presence

This isn’t a daily beater. It’s not even a “once-a-week” watch for most people. This is a piece you bring out for the kind of evening where you’re drinking something older than you are and someone at the table will actually understand what a peripheral rotor is.

That said, the proportions make it one of the most wearable high-jewellery tourbillons out there. At 39 mm and just over 10 mm thick, it sits well on the wrist and won’t feel like a gold-plated hockey puck. The ultra-thin calibre helps keep the profile elegant, while the sapphires catch the light in a way that’s flashy without being gaudy.

Source: Hodinkee

Price & Production

The price sits at a comfortable €198,000 before taxes. That’s “apartment in Barcelona” money. This isn’t a limited edition in the traditional sense. Vacheron says it’s an open series - production will be limited by how many they can make, but they’ll keep it available for a few years. That’s nice for collectors who don’t want to feel like they’re racing the clock to snag one.

Final Thoughts

If you’d told me, without showing pictures, “Vacheron made a white gold Aries watch with sapphires and diamonds all over it,” I would’ve pictured something wildly over-the-top and probably not my taste. But this is different.

The balance between mechanics and decoration is spot-on. The movement is both technically interesting and beautiful to look at. The gem setting is tasteful. The dial… well, the dial is why I’d put this thing on my wrist and just stare at it for 20 minutes straight.

Astrology might say Aries and Sagittarius aren’t a perfect match, but if this watch showed up at my door tomorrow, I wouldn’t ask for its birth chart. I’d just wind it, strap it on, and enjoy one of the finest blends of watchmaking and artistry you can buy in 2025.