DUBAI: Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer Vacheron Constantin has announced that it is partnering with the Musée du Louvre in Paris on a number of collaborations inspired by the collections of the famed French museum.
“I enthusiastically welcome this collaboration between our two institutions,” Louis Ferla, CEO of Vacheron Constantin, said of the move. “With the Louvre, we are beginning a very promising new chapter. We could not have dreamt of a better partner for a constructive dialogue on the themes of art and culture,” he added in the released statement.
This exclusive collaboration will translate into a number of artistic and cultural projects focused on craftsmanship in addition to horological ventures inspired by some of the museum’s most iconic works, which were carefully handpicked by the Louvre’s curators.
The Louvre is home to 620,000 works, including many of Western civilization’s most iconic masterpieces. Some of the notable works currently on display at the institution — which could perhaps take on the form of a luxury timepiece with this collaboration — include Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” the ancient Greek statue “The Venus de Milo,” the Napoleon-commissioned “Le Sacre de l’Empereur Napoléon” and Michelangelo’s “captive statues,” among many others.
“I am delighted that Vacheron Constantin, a maison committed to the patient and demanding workmanship involved in Haute Horlogerie, now finds in the Louvre a repertoire and techniques that reinforce and magnify its concern for beauty,” Jean-Luc Martinez, president-director of the historic museum, commented, echoing on Ferla’s statement. “The Louvre has always been a vibrant place, inspiring creative talents of every era.”
It’s not the first time that the centuries-old institution and the Swiss horlogerie brand have joined forces. In 2016, one of the oldest luxury timepiece manufacturers in the world — it was founded by Jean-Marc Vacheron in 1755— helped with the year-long restoration of “La Création du Monde,” an 18th century clock first presented in 1754 at the court of King Louis XV of France in Versailles.
The over-200-year-old timepiece, which is crafted out of silver and gold, was also one of the first clocks to be displayed at the Louvre Abu Dhabi during its inauguration back in 2017. It was on display for the first three months following the museum’s opening.
