Vacheron Constantin Builds Bespoke Timepiece Into Special Rolls-Royce Amethyst

Earlier this week, Rolls-Royce unveiled the La Rose Noire Droptail, the first of four exclusive client commissions. The supercar, which built on the theme of “romance,” featured a specially-made watch by Audemars Piguet.

Now, for the second launch, Swiss luxury watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has been roped in on the project, designing a bespoke Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon for the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail.

First and foremost, the duo’s collaboration ensured that the timepiece’s shapes, materials, and colors harmonized with the car’s interior.

After this, the designers chose the movement for the unique creation—the caliber 1990—an in-house hand-wound complication derived from the reference 57260, the world’s most complicated timepiece engineered by the brand in 2015.

Notably, the movement features a bi-retrograde display reminiscent of vintage motor car speedometers, where hands rapidly return to zero, requiring meticulous engineering to maintain accuracy and durability.

The use of lightweight and sturdy titanium for the hands contributes to this precision.

Visually inspired by interlocking circles and armillas, instruments that model the celestial sphere, the tourbillon in the watch compensates for the effects of gravity on the movement.

This intricate regulator consists of two carriages rotating on separate axes, forming a sphere in perpetual motion. Of course, practicality was not overlooked in this design. The crown was deliberately oversized for easy winding, and the timepiece offers a 58-hour power reserve.

Positioned at 12 o’clock, the timer bears resemblance to vintage hand-wound chronometers. The minutes track on the timepiece recalls traditional speedometers.

To ensure a seamless fit within the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail’s fascia compartments, the watchmakers developed a specialized holding mechanism.

As such, the holder not only matches the precise dimensions of the car’s design but also allows the watch to be removed and rotated for setting and admiration of the movement.

The holder’s construction involves polished and laser-textured steel frames with a black PVD coating, while the base watch is attached to a white gold base plate with a hand-crafted sunburst guilloché motif featuring an applied Maltese cross.

Intriguingly, the holder can be covered with a steel lid secured by a Maltese cross-shaped lock. When the actual timepiece is removed, an identical, empty holder takes its place.

[via Robb Report and duPont Registry, images via Vacheron Constantin]