SJX Watches
Hands On: Vacheron Constantin Armillary Tourbillon “Myth of the Pleiades”
Vacheron Constantin’s 270th anniversary Les Cabinotiers offerings include a variation on a theme with the Armillary Tourbillon “Myth of the Pleiades”. Having been introduced several years ago, the Armillary Tourbillon is a double-axis regulator with a bi-retrograde time display. This unique iteration is dressed entirely in yellow gold, and intricately hand engraved across all of the case surfaces. Initial thoughts The Armillary Tourbillon “Myth of the Pleiades” channels the same celestial inspiration found on the other 270th anniversary watches into mythological storytelling, blending the brand’s signature double-axis tourbillon with sculptural engraving. Still inspired by the stars, this unique piece takes its theme from the Greek myth of the Pleiades - seven sisters transformed into stars who have guided sailors for millennia. The watch is as much about artistic expression as it is about mechanics. The heavily open-worked dial exposes much of the movement beneath, showcasing the double retrograde system for the hours and minutes. The champagne-toned bridges share the same warm hue as the Cosmica Duo, while the finishing throughout is of the highest standard. The cal. 1990 inside remains as appealing as ever, with skeletonised snail cams and beautiful swirling levers for the retrograde works, all tightly packed on the right side of the dial. The blued hands point to a numbered half-circle sector, which is useful since reading the time on this “halved” fo...
