Vacheron Constantin: Gold, Paper and Wood Reimagined on the Watch Dial

Vacheron Constantin: Gold, Paper and Wood Reimagined on the Watch Dial

Laura Baverstock Tigerbroidery

Gold embroidery captures the movement of a tiger

A tiger in honey and tangerine hues prowls through a richly embroidered jungle in Tigerbroidery, Laura Baverstock’s interpretation of gold embroidery at miniature scale.

The animal is created from 9-karat yellow and white gold embroidery wires, while specially developed ceramic-coated black wires form its stripes. The surrounding landscape is embroidered onto bespoke green silk, with grasses rendered in several shades of Japanese silk.

The final dial required approximately 210 hours of work. Every detail had to respect the severe spatial limitations imposed by the watch, including the curved sapphire crystal and the positioning of the four apertures displaying the indications.

Interview

What was the greatest technical challenge of translating goldwork embroidery onto a watch dial?

This project was, from start to finish, a venture into the unknown.

I usually depict animal faces, but Vacheron Constantin challenged me to create the entire animal and portray it in motion. This required extensive research using wildlife imagery and documentary footage.

Vacheron Constantin also challenged me to work with wires containing the highest possible gold content. After various experiments, 9-karat gold proved to be a material I could successfully manipulate, although it was the first time I had worked with it.

On top of that, I was working on a scale approximately half that of the smallest piece I had ever previously created. This required the development of bespoke tools capable of producing entirely new materials for the project, including miniature gold wires and ultra-fine needles.

Another major challenge was fitting the embroidery within the watch’s strict constraints, particularly the curved crystal above the dial and the precise placement of the guichets. Even the slightest movement in the silk could distort the final result.

What does this project represent for you personally?

Thanks to this project, I believe I have brought embroidery to the level of art.

Embroidery is a traditional craft, but Vacheron Constantin pushed me to such an extent on a technical level that I feel I reached an entirely new level through this collaboration.

I have always loved the phrase, “Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.” For me, this project perfectly embodies the balance between artistic innovation and the technical discipline of embroidery that defines my creative process.

About Laura Baverstock

A graduate of the Royal School of Needlework in the United Kingdom and a member of the Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers, Laura Baverstock has developed a distinctive visual language by adapting traditional stitching techniques to contemporary design.

Her work is characterised by bold silhouettes and an obsessive attention to detail, with deep inspiration drawn from illustration and the natural world. Her work has appeared in film costumes and creations for renowned fashion houses.

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Patricia Holdener 

Editor-In-Chief

Luxe Mgazine Switzerland 

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