Produced in a series of three, 25-piece, boxed limited edition sets of four watches from 2007 through 2009, 12 different Masques watches were made. Leading up to Les Masques, Vacheron sought to continue demonstrating its horological expertise following the extraordinary creations made to celebrate their 250th anniversary in 2005.
With the desire to create artistic timepieces paying tribute to mankind and the human experience, the Vacheron design team was inspired by tribal masks - quite possibly due to their proximity to Geneva's Barbier-Mueller Museum, one of the world's most important museums of primitive art.
According to Vacheron, convincing the Barbier-Mueller Museum to lend them the masks so that they could be reproduced required a face-to-face meeting with Juan Carlos Torres, Vacheron's CEO, and Paul Barbier-Mueller. Upon hearing the project's significance and the brand's philosophies, combined with Torres' passion, Barbier-Mueller was convinced - so long as the masks were reproduced very faithfully to the originals.
To do so, Vacheron decided to use solid gold as the base material for each mask. After creating 3D images of each original, the design team determined the best angles and proportions to properly fit the miniature versions atop the dial. Engravers reproduced the details of each mask, and to color each, they avoided using paint entirely. Instead, different alloys were used to obtain the right color of gold in some cases, or galvanic and chemical treatments were used.
To set off each mask so that they appear to float above the sapphire crystal dial, Vacheron used special treatment, tinting each differently with a metallization process to distinguish their colors. Around each mask, on the surface of the dial, is found a poem dedicated to the mask in gold lettering. Written by Michel Butor, the words can only be seen when light hits the dial at certain angles.
The watches display the hours, minutes, day, and date with either continuously-revolving discs (hours and minutes), or semi-jumping discs (day and date). All are housed in cases measuring 40 mm in diameter.
Below are some photos of the first set that I was fortunate to take back in 2007, on the day of their official launch...
China Mask
Modeled after a Chinese "death mask" from the Qidan people during the Liao dynasty (907-1125)...
The poem on the dial, translated in English:
The light is concentrated in the gold where I close my eyes through my eyelids I see the sleep of my descendants I slip into their dreams to give them my news and light up the impasses where adversity lies in wait
The watch next to the original, which measures 24.5 cm tall...
A closer look at the mask reveals the incredible details...small deposits of copper were applied on the gold, which was then oxidized, simulating the >1000 years of aging found not the original...
As seen in the display case...
Indonesia Mask
A "facial mask" from Indonesia made of wood served as the inspiration for this model in 18 karat pink gold.
Its poem:
Bewitcher I observe the shapes of girls who pass my eyebrows are like a bird ready to take wing and circle its prey, my mustache like a serpent ready to strike at the least sign of weakness or assent
Next to the original, measuring 21 cm high...
Hand engraving and galvanized gold result in these amazing details and colors...
A view of the side of the case...
The mask appears to jump out at you when viewed from afar...
Congo Mask
Another "death mask", made of wood, found in the Republic of Congo, measuring 35.5 cm tall.
Its poem reads...
They wanted to deepen the shadow where you will set your eyes so that the flashes of sun and flames will penetrate further with their arrows to tattoo not only your face and the skin of your whole body but the secrets of your night
Cased in platinum, the exhibition back displays the in-house VAcheorn caliber 2460 G4...
Alaska Mask
Dating from the 1800s, this wooden "frontal mask" was made by Tlingit Indians residing in the Northwest coast of the US. It measures 18 cm high.
Its poem:
If I stick out my tongue it is to show the trust I have in you following your movements on the sea between the storms and in forests between vast conifers on which your genealogical myths will be inscribed
Now discontinued, the Les Masques collection epitomized what Vacheron does best; that is, creating emotional, artistic, and original timepieces with the highest levels of craftsmanship.
- Paul Boutros