# Hot Air Balloon-Inspired Watches Hodinkee Unveils Vacheron Constantin Watches for Metiers d’Art By Amy Duong | Published 2018-11-27 | Luxury Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/metiers-dart References: [hypebeast](https://hypebeast.com/2018/11/vacheron-constantin-metiers-dart-les-aerostiers) & [hodinkee](https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/vacheron-constantin-metiers-dart-les-aerostiers-hands-on) Hodinkee recently obtained two special edition timepieces by Vacheron Constantin and the pieces are set to be a part of the label's Metiers d’Art series. The Les Aérostiers capsule draws a unique inspiration that dates back into history before the occurrence of the French Revolution -- the influence is found from the "five hot air balloon flights" during the era. The timepieces have a dial that is complete with [plique-à-jour enamel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/classique-souscription-2025), with segregated sections in the form of four opening windows on the face at the 1, 4, 7, and 11 -- each one tells the seconds, the date of the week, day, and hour. The spotlight is the balloon design incorporated into the middle of the watch -- the engraving process took up to three weeks to complete. The intricate design boasts [pink and white gold](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/piaget-altiplano-skeleton-mtiers-dart) and details that refer to history. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.3/10 - Popularity: 20% | Activity: 10% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Luxury](https://www.trendhunter.com/luxury) > [Ultra Luxury](https://www.trendhunter.com/ultraluxury) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Plique-à-jour Enamel Dials:** A trend in watchmaking where dials are adorned with segmented plique-à-jour enamel, providing a unique and intricate design. - **Historically-inspired Designs:** A trend in the watch industry where timepieces draw inspiration from historical events, creating unique and captivating designs. - **Intricate Engravings:** A trend in luxury watches where intricate engravings are incorporated into the design, adding a distinctive and artistic touch. ### Who This Affects Most - **Luxury Watchmaking:** There is an opportunity for luxury watch brands to incorporate plique-à-jour enamel dials and historically-inspired designs to create unique and exclusive timepieces. - **Artisanal Engraving:** Artisanal engraving artists can explore opportunities to collaborate with luxury watchmakers to create intricate engravings on high-end timepieces. - **Collectible Timepieces:** The trend of historically-inspired designs and intricate engravings presents an opportunity for collectors to acquire unique and valuable timepieces. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Haute Scented Watches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vacheron-constantin-grie.md) - [Intricate Anniversary-Celebrating Watch Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-quest.md) - [Limited Reinterpreted Luxe Watches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chronomaster-original-triple-calendar.md) - [Luxe Ultra-Thin Timepieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vacheron-constantin-watch.md) - [Orbiting Time Display Watches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pioneer-flying-hours.md) - [Aerospace Analog-Digital Timepieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/breitling-aerospace-b70-orbiter.md) - [Overseas Tourbillon Watches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vacheron-constantin-11.md) - [Timeless Dress Watches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blancpain-villeret-golden-hour.md) - [Heritage Enamel Watches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/classique-souscription-2025.md)