The Vacheron Constantin Audubon “Birds of America” is a delightful watch that invites us to step back, take a deep breath and appreciate crafts that require time and patience. Among the ten variations, the present “Roseate Spoonbill” is one of the only 3 “Audubons” with a whole scenic background, instead of featuring only the birds. The cloisonné enamel of the present example was drawn by Muriel Sechaud in 1998, as signed on the dial.

Enamellists like Muriel Sechaud are celebrated as there are only very few of them After mass-produced quartz movements decimated Switzerland’s mechanical-watch industry in the 1970s, miniature enamel painting and other related artistic skills nearly became extinct. The few artists still working, including Suzanne Rohr and Muriel Sechaud, labored alone, supported by old-line brands.

The dial is not the only work of art in this watch, the movement, hidden behind a hinged back, opens to reveal a beautifully finished movement bearing the prestigious Geneva seal. The rotor of the extra slim calibre 1120/2 has furthermore been elegantly skeletonized and engraved. Preserved in “new-old-stock” condition and as one of limited edition of 10 pieces, the present timepiece is a physical proof that haute horlogerie and art can be one.