The strelitzia plant from South Africa reached the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in 1773. The director of these famous English gardens, Sir Joseph Banks – to whom Francis Masson, having sailed with James Cook, brought back the flower – named it thus in tribute to the queen of England who came from the Mecklemburg-Strelitz ducal family. A symbol of loyalty and good luck, the strelizia gracefully alights on the dial of the Métiers d’Art Florilège watch. The different guilloché patterns attest to the artistic sensibilities of the artisan. The brilliant enamel colours add depth to the dial to achieve an uncanny realism.The Métiers d'Art Florilège Queen, White Lily and China Limodoron are part of the first edition Florilege models. Just like the later series, The Métiers d’Art Florilège is a limited series of 20 collector’s watches with the bezel set with round-cut diamonds and 5 more with the bezel set with baguette-cut diamonds for the Vacheron Constantin Boutiques. They all bear the Hallmark of Geneva.
