Uniquely Precious: Introducing Vacheron Constantin’s Grand Lady Kalla Pendant Watch
Vacheron Constantin’s Grand Lady Kalla timepiece is a feat of elegance and engineering, marrying precision watchmaking with high jewellery flair
When a watchmaking Maison has made timepieces for the Maharaja of Patiala, King Louis-Philippe of France and Marlon Brando all in the space of a couple of hundred years, it’s only natural to wonder who might become the lucky owner of its latest one-of-a-kind creations. Vacheron Constantin’s Grand Lady Kalla is certainly destined for a fabulous life; unveiled earlier this year as an ode to high-jewellery artisanry and impeccably precise timekeeping, the secret pendant watch is a pièce unique in every sense of the word.
“The Grand Lady Kalla represents a vision where artistry, innovation, and luxury coexist, offering women a watch that is not just an accessory but a statement of individuality,” says Sandrine Donguy, director of product and innovation at Vacheron Constantin. “The Grand Lady Kalla speaks to the Maison’s belief that a woman’s watch can be both technically brilliant and exquisitely beautiful.”
‘Technically brilliant’ is somewhat of an understatement. Wearable four different ways, the time-telling sautoir spent several months in production, with its artisans on a quest to achieve perfect symmetry and balance between glittering gemstones and a delicate watch mechanism. Transformable between pendant, pendant watch, wrist watch and bracelet – a detachable two-carat diamond cleverly conceals the watch face to put the piece into jewellery mode – the mission was to craft a diamond masterpiece that felt comfortable and sensational in equal measure.
This was an epic undertaking that drew upon the maison’s 269-year-strong legacy, relying upon its gem setters, goldsmiths, and watchmakers to work in perfect harmony. “Each craftsman brought their expertise to the table, ensuring that the piece not only functioned impeccably but also dazzled as a work of art,” explains Sandrine. The exquisite hand craftsmanship certainly sings, with each of the watch’s 131 diamonds (all chosen for their clarity and brilliance) invisibly set to ensure seamless sparkle. Marrying the past with the modern, the design also relied upon avant-garde CAD technology, enabling precise adjustments in the diamond setting and the interchangeable system, enabling the movement to be cleverly concealed beneath a blanket of diamonds.
Steering Vacheron Constantin’s timepieces from the conceptual stage through to their on-the-wrist debut, Sandrine has forensic involvement in bringing each design to life; every nitty-gritty detail is merely another hurdle for her and the team of master craftsmen to leap. “Balancing the elegance of high jewellery with practical timekeeping was achieved by reducing the size of the prongs on the dial, ensuring a clear view of the time, without compromising on the piece’s aesthetic,” she enthuses, enraptured by every step of the journey. “The emerald-cut diamonds, combined with slimmed-down contemporary proportions, maintain the balance between functionality and luxurious design,” she explains. Alongside its remarkable 45 carats of diamonds, Akoya pearls and jet black onyx beads are employed to add texture, depth and dimension to the design. “Working with these materials required extreme precision,” says Sandrine, “as their delicate nature posed a challenge when integrating them into the watch’s structure and pendant.”
Vacheron Constantin is certainly no stranger to pendant watches. The earliest pocket watch was made by Jean-Marc Vacheron in 1755, and pendant watches remained the dominant mode of time-telling until much later, with the first lady’s wristwatch not produced until 1889. The maison’s early pocket watch designs for women were simply sublime; adorned with elegant engraving, enamel and gemstones, they were the precursors to the stylish sautoirs with tonneau-shaped silhouettes that emerged in the Art Deco era – the very pieces that inspired today’s Grand Lady Kalla. “The design focused on achieving harmony between Art Deco influences and contemporary tastes,” elaborates Sandrine, referencing the watch’s Art Deco geometry and bold lines, executed with contemporary precision.
The Grand Lady Kalla is far from the Maison’s first Kalla timepiece. Now counting 45 designs within the Kalla family, its lineage includes some of the world’s most sumptuous watches, including most notably the 1979 Kallista. Featuring 118 emerald-cut diamonds totalling 130 carats, the Kallista _ Greek for ‘most beautiful’ – flexed the Maison’s muscles as the ultimate high jewellery watchmaking Maison. Then in 2001, the Lady Kalla Necklace Watch won
the ‘Aiguille d’Or’ – the very first Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève – recognised for its astonishing blend of horology and high jewellery, sculpted from a single block of white gold.
How then, does Vacheron Constantin’s team of haute horologists feel once they have completed a masterpiece such as the Grand Lady Kalla – is it straight onto the next model in its illustrious legacy? “Each timepiece created at Vacheron Constantin holds a special place in our hearts. The Grand Lady Kalla, in particular, carries with it a sense of accomplishment and pride. While we do move on to the next creation, there is always a sense of wonder about where each watch will end up and the story it will tell,” says Sandrine. “We imagine it adorning the wrist of a woman who embodies grace and sophistication, someone who appreciates not only the beauty of the piece but also its intricate craftsmanship. There is always a hope that these watches will be cherished as heirlooms, passed down through generations, each with a story to tell.”
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From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia October 2024 issue