Les Cabinotiers Cosmica Duo is a new manufacture calibre with 24 complications, mainly astronomical

Vacheron Constantin's new double-sided watch features 24 complications, mainly astronomical and including a minute repeater and a tourbillon regulator, orchestrated by the new Calibre 2756-B1. This movement, which took four years to develop, is issued from the base of the Calibre 2756 presented in 2020. The base movement that powers the minute repeater and tourbillon has undergone a few modifications, while the two additional plates have been almost entirely redeveloped. One controls the perpetual calendar and celestial chart; the other is used for astronomical indications. One dial, in predominantly blue tones, offers a sidereal journey, in addition to the essential time and calendar references.

A closer look at Les Cabinotiers Cosmica Duo

The symmetry of the dial, which ensures clear legibility of the indications, belies the complexity of its construction, which comprises 22 parts.

The off-centre hour and minute counter also displays a Northern Hemisphere sky chart. As it rotates, it reproduces the movement of the constellations according to the lengthof a sidereal day, which is marked on the periphery. Taking a fixed star in the sky as a reference point, the time it takes for the Earth to complete a full 360° rotation, or sidereal day, is exactly 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds. As the Earth rotates on its axis at the same time as it revolves around the sun, it takes approximately four minutes less than a calendar day to return to its original point in relation to the given star. A light-coloured ellipse highlights what the observer can see in real time.

The casing

In addition to its technical complexity and distinctive design, the originality of this piece lies in its reversibility. Measuring 47 mm in diameter and 20.20 mm in height, a feat in itself given the complexity of a movement comprising 1,003 components, the white gold case features articulated lugs with removable strap attachments that can be secured on either side of the fixing bars without the need for tools.

The challenge in designing such a system lies in its ergonomics, ensuring that the watch is comfortable to wear regardless of which side is chosen. The lugs are therefore short with a rounded profile, holding the watch in place without needing to rest on the wrist, and enabling the alligator leather strap to be freely reversed.

This ensures that, as well as remaining stable, the watch is also comfortable, as only the strap is in contact with the wrist. Depending on the wearer’s preferred time measurement, the Cosmica Duo – Grand Complication watch displays either mean civil time or true solar time with the ability to switch from one to the other in an instant by turning the watch over. The case design has been carefully considered to simplify the control of the functions. A push-button integrated into the crown sets the second time zone, while a selector located in the case side can lock the sky chart in place when setting the watch. The minute repeater lever has been specially designed and positioned in the centre of the case side to maintain the symmetry of the watch regardless of which side the wearer prefers.

An aesthetic quest

The first dial is ultramarine blue, featuring a sky chart on a very thin disc, measuring just 0.25 mm thick, rotating under a sapphire crystal engraved by metallisation; the horizon is defined according to the geographical position of the wearer.

All the elements of the dial are finely finished: the mother-of-pearl inserts on the sidereal hour circle are tinted blue; the opaline dial has a circular-satin-finished outer edge, while the perpetual calendar counters are circular-satin-finished with azuré centres; the white gold hour markers are lacquered and the edge of the sky chart is fluted.

The reverse side is radically different. Giving strong expression to the complexity of the skeletonised Calibre 2756-B1while ensuring legibility, the power reserve, moon phases and indications of day and night and sunrise and sunset are marked on discreet inserts of blue-tinted mother-of-pearl. The inserts are constructed on two levels, strengthening the three-dimensional effect.

To accentuate the airy feel of the retrograde moon phase display and the depth of the movement, five domed moons in 18K gold are mounted on an arc of sapphire crystal at the bottom of the dial. The periphery of the dial is opaline with circular satin finishing. This open-worked dial reveals the beauty of the movement finishes, which is enhanced by the champagne colour of the components, created by galvanic treatment.

Circling decorates the plates and the hand-bevelled bridges are decorated with Côtes de Genève and circling. The rockers are sunburst-brushed, while the wheels are circled and the gears are mirror-polished. The alternation of sandblasted and circular grained surfaces further accentuates the technical nature of this piece.

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