WorldTempus reproduces this article by Charlene Co, originally published here, with kind permission of Hong Kong Tatler.
Juan-Carlos Torres was born in 1956 in the Spanish city of Barcelona to a Cuban mother and Catalonian father who built custom cabinets for a living. From an early age, Torres’ father imbued him with an appreciation for beautiful, one-of-a-kind objects. In 1960 the Torres family moved to Geneva and at the age of 19 Torres entered the world of horology, becoming an accountant at Camy Watch. "I began my career at Vacheron Constantin in 1981 as an accountant. As I proved myself, I was handed more managerial responsibilities and became a driving force behind a number of the company’s key business moves."
Torres was named COO of Vacheron Constantin in 2000. In 2005—on the maison’s 250th anniversary and after 25 years serving the company—Torres was given the top job as CEO. "Top-quality watches—both in terms of aesthetics and technicalities—excellent service, and respect for clients and for the work of its artisans are key factors in Vacheron Constantin’s continuing success and prestige," says Torres.
"I stay very committed to cultivating authenticity, loyalty and heritage—values I feel are crucial to the further development of Vacheron Constantin," says the CEO, who looks forward to more years serving and growing the company that has become such a big part of his life.
