Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Animal Kingdom - Glassoctopus
A monumental challenge at miniature scale supported by Vacheron Constantin
Transposing glass sculpting onto the miniature scale of a watch dial was the greatest challenge of my career. The project “Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Animal Kingdom”, part of Vacheron Constantin “One of Not Many Crafts Programme”, constitutes a real turning point in my work because it forced me to develop a new technique that I had never used in 25 years of working with glass.
The constraints of watchmaking encouraged me to think beyond established categories, expanded my creative vocabulary, and opened new possibilities for artistic expression. I had to completely rethink my technique and adapt all my tools to ensure that every detail remained readable and alive within the dial’s dimensions.
From the nocturnal circular landscape of the dial, a miniature transparent octopus rises only 3.5 millimetres above the dial. Each tentacle and sucker was meticulously constructed, dot by dot, to achieve its intricate form. The background is composed of a hand-guilloché gold base coated with a dark blue color that invites the spectator into the depths of the ocean.
Translating a complex 3D form into a delicate 2.5D sculpture involved melting tiny glass rods and shaping them with tungsten tools, proceeding piece by piece in a method akin to a highly manual form of 3D printing. The choice of transparent glass was a complication in itself: every thickness, overlap, and refraction had to be carefully considered, as glass magnifies and distorts whatever lies behind it. This is why carefully constructed optical illusions were created to mimic tentacles crossing over one another, precisely to avoid distortions that would have compromised the aesthetic harmony.
The development process lasted more than a year, with the first prototypes in spring 2025. Each individual prototype required at least three days of work. The final batch consisted of four slightly different octopuses, each with subtle variations in movement, from which the final version was selected.
A celebration of nature and craftsmanship.
