Since its founding, Vacheron Constantin has placed the preservation and transmission of craftsmanship at the heart of its mission, as reflected in the Manufacture’s dedicated arts and crafts workshop. Now, 271 years after its establishment, the Maison holds a unique position within the artistic and cultural landscape, drawing inspiration from a broad spectrum of creative disciplines and traditions from around the world, spanning centuries of history. This passion for culture and decorative artistry enriches every creation, with the Maison’s Haute Horlogerie timepieces combining refined ancestral métiers such as guilloché, engraving, gem-setting and enamelling with continually evolving watchmaking expertise.

Vacheron Constantin serves as both a catalyst and a platform for artistic expression, actively supporting the arts while nurturing creativity and cultural exchange. Through partnerships established across three continents, including collaborations with the Louvre since 2019, The Met since 2023 and the Educational Institute of the Palace Museum in Beijing since 2024, the Maison remains committed to encouraging emerging talent and safeguarding the transmission of skills, techniques and knowledge that inspire watchmakers and artisans to continually explore new possibilities.

ARTISANAL EXCELLENCE REIMAGINED

Introduced in May 2025 by The Met in partnership with Vacheron Constantin, the Artisan Residency Programme is now entering its concluding phase, marking another milestone in the preservation and sharing of traditional craftsmanship. The programme is founded on three core objectives: fostering the development of diverse artistic and craft disciplines so they can flourish and evolve; broadening the boundaries of traditional craftsmanship by encouraging new modes of expression; and inspiring future generations through mentorship, dialogue and the exchange of expertise.

At an event hosted by Vacheron Constantin at The Met in New York on 8 October, the three artisans selected for the programme, American designer Aspen Golann, Egyptian-American ceramicist Ibrahim Said, and Anglo-Italian goldsmith and jeweller Joy Harvey, will present the works created during their 18-month residency. Their projects were developed between New York, Geneva and their respective studio locations.

Inspired by both The Met’s rich collections and Vacheron Constantin’s exceptional decorative arts expertise, Aspen Golann, Ibrahim Said and Joy Harvey have placed traditional craftsmanship at the centre of their creations while reinterpreting established practices through contemporary innovation and creative thinking.

INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY TAKEN FURTHER

The residency programme culminated in three original works. Distinct in style and execution, the creations reveal a shared artistic approach rooted in dual sources of inspiration: masterpieces from The Met’s renowned collection spanning centuries of art history, and the artisanal skills carefully cultivated by Vacheron Constantin across generations.

• Vessels by Aspen Golann, monumental wooden vases featuring bas-relief sculpture.
• Shaping Time by Ibrahim Said, a three-tiered vertical ceramic structure combining modelling and engraving on lacquered surfaces.
• Ruined Splendour – Bronze Diadem by Joy Harvey, a bronze coronet fashioned through hammering, chiselling and the lamination of bronze, copper, tin, gold and silver.

Following their immersion at The Met in New York and Vacheron Constantin’s Manufacture in Geneva, each artist interpreted the heritage of both institutions through a highly personal lens. Working with their chosen materials, wood for Aspen, clay for Ibrahim and metal for Joy, while employing both age-old tools and contemporary technologies such as 3D scanning, the artists embraced individual creative journeys. Through gestures and techniques passed down over centuries, they infused traditional craftsmanship with fresh energy, innovation and modern relevance.