The immense prestige of being the oldest Geneva watchmaker active today, founded in 1755. The sheer range of product creation that is contained within the span of their 270 years — from classic icons of design purity such as the time-only Patrimony and emblematic form watches such as the Historiques American 1921, to exceptional pieces of artisanal craftsmanship (their entire Métiers d’Art collection) and industry-defining masterpieces of high complication such as the Solaria Ultra Grande Complication launched at this year’s Watches And Wonders. The awareness that Vacheron Constantin consistently sets the standard for haute horlogerie and what it means in the eyes of the world.
Simply in terms of presence, influence and stature, the history of Vacheron Constantin can be seen as a parallel narrative to the history of watchmaking in the modern era. To celebrate their 270th anniversary, Vacheron Constantin have embarked on a yearlong programme — part retrospective, part celebration — that they’ve named The Quest. It’s a broad term, to be sure, but one well suited to encompassing the various aspects of what Vacheron Constantin represents.
Four recently released pieces perpetuate the ongoing story of The Quest, each of them highlighting a unique side of expertise at Vacheron Constantin.
The Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication - Homage to Copernicus
Homage to Copernicus is a return to a beloved theme at the Maison. Astronomical complications have always retained a special place in the creations of Vacheron Constantin, and their undisputed prowess in this area really shines through in this example. This watch (and the cal. 3600 that powers it) was first presented in 2017, and it remains as groundbreaking as ever. Its 23 displays and functions cover some of the headiest astronomical complications to be expressed in a mechanical wristwatch. Its most compelling display remains the équation du temps marchante, an intuitive indication of the equation of time that is as fascinating as it is esoteric. For the uninitiated, complicated watchmaking is often described as mechanical computing, and one of the best examples of this is the Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication and the cal. 3600.
The Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater - Genghis Khan
Those with a deep familiarity with the work of Vacheron Constantin will also be acutely aware of their myriad explorations of culture and history over the years. There are few watchmaking brands that have made such consistent forays into ethnographical study — and no wonder. The study of time and timekeeping is by extension an examination of humanity’s cultural evolution. The Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater — Genghis Khan is therefore a fully coherent manifestation of Vacheron Constantin’s humanistic endeavours and commitment to this type of profound storytelling. This model is part of a horological quadrumvirate that commemorates some of the greatest warrior-conquerors of antiquity (the other three in the series being Alexander the Great of Macedonia, the poet-chevalier Antarah ibn Shaddad al-Absi and 12th-century samurai commander Sasaki Moritsuna). Whilst the proper focus of this timepiece is the engraved grand feu enamel dial, I must confess that my affections are reserved for the minute repeater cal. 1731 at its heart. When the movement was first launched in 2013 (at the Hong Kong edition of Watches & Wonders), it was the thinnest minute repeater of its time. Although the record has since been broken, the cal. 1731 remains a landmark horological development, and there could not be a more perfect movement for this watch. After all, the chime of a minute repeater is horology’s sweetest melody, and every warrior needs his song.
The Armillary Tourbillon - The Myth of the Pleiades
At any other brand other than Vacheron Constantin, a timepiece like the Armillary Tourbillon would remain a horological highlight for decades, the brightest star in its watchmaking constellation. The fact that it is merely one in a lineup of equally brilliant creations is hard to believe — kind of like trying to explain Real Madrid’s Galácticos era to a young football fan today. Years ago, in 2016 when I first spoke about the cal. 1990, I focused on its precision of energy management, which still endures as its most underlooked feature. Sure, the bi-axial tourbillon is as much of a visual spectacle as always, and the bi-retrograde time indication is as astounding as ever in its precision. But the principle on which this horological marvel is based, combining two such energy-intensive functions, shows the pure mastery of micro-mechanical engineering that is practiced on a quotidian basis at Vacheron Constantin.
Grand Complication High Jewellery - Moon Dust
You need only mention these four digits to any true enthusiast of mechanical watchmaking to send their pulses rocketing into the stratosphere — 2755. Whether or not you’re a devotee at the temple of Vacheron Constantin, the least evocation of the cal. 2755 and its legendary reputation should be enough to tell you how special the Grand Complication High Jewellery — Moon Dust is. I’m afraid I can’t apologise for how movement-centric I am, even though most people would (correctly and justifiably) put all their attention into the remarkable decoration and gem-setting of this watch. If we want to look at the facts, we can talk about the unparalleled combination of perpetual calendar, minute repeater, and astronomical indications that inhabits this watch. We can talk about how the movement is an essential chapter not only at Vacheron Constantin, but in the history of 21st-century watchmaking in general. The year is not yet at an end — there is still something left of 2025, and if this is what Vacheron Constantin have chosen to show us of their Quest thus far, there is hope for the next 270 years of fine Swiss watchmaking.
