There’s a company that has a rich history of producing some of the most elegant watches for hundreds of years. The Vacheron Constantin watch company has been making watches since 1755, crowning it as the oldest continuous watch manufacturer in the world.
Enormous focus on flawlessness and attention to detail goes into making a Vacheron Constantin timepiece. This high level of execution makes it one of the most luxurious and expensive watches you can find anywhere in the world.
The watch brand was also determined to be luxurious but not pompous. The goal was to be out of the ordinary for whoever the owner of the watch may be.
The Vacheron Constantin Focus
The company has been focused on delivering an extraordinary product without arrogance. By using premium materials, the best craftsman, and timeless design, Vacheron continues it’s heritage and legacy.
Vacheron Constantin focuses on combining three elements in their watches.
- Design that does not come and go with fashion
- Master technology
- Hand finishing
With these three concepts, the watchmaker has guided itself through hundreds of years of rich history since the days of its founding.
Jean-Marc Vacheron
Born in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1731, Jean-Marc Vacheron opened his first watch shop when he was 24 years old in 1755.
Not only was Jean-Marc a watchmaker, but he was also known as a historian and mathematician. Over the years, he became friends with the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the writer Voltaire.
Francois Constantin
In 1819 Francois Constantin added his name to the watchmaking brand. He was considered an adventurer with a curious spirit and traveled outside Switzerland, bringing the Vacheron Constantin name to new markets.
Perhaps he was best known as bearing the company slogan still used today, “Do it better if possible, and it’s always possible.”
Together with Vacheron and Constantin, the brand was propelled forward to a new level of global luxury, and a new focus on Haute Horlogerie.
History of Vacheron Constantin
The company has survived and thrived for hundreds of years, and many would say it’s quietly been a steady performer. Some watch collectors might not even realize Vacheron is included as one of the three ‘Holy Trinity’ of watchmakers.
Not only that, but ethics play a big part in the Vacheron company culture and have done so for centuries.
They’ve always respected the other notable watchmakers from neighboring Swiss towns. Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Audemars Piguet make for good competition, but Vacheron doesn’t view watchmaking as a race to be won.
Longtime CEO Claude-Daniel Proellochs once remarked, “I think we don’t have to beat the competition. We have to beat ourselves, which is much more difficult and requires much more discipline.”
Over 200 Years of Watchmaking
In 1955 Vacheron & Constantin celebrated their two-hundredth anniversary of doing business and producing luxury watches. In honor of the anniversary, the company introduced one of the thinnest watches ever created with a caliber movement. The piece was just 1.6 mm thick.
Of course, the brand has evolved over its amazing history. 1996 saw new owners buy the entire stake of Vacheron Constantin. The Swiss Richemont Group purchased
For the company’s 250th anniversary in 2005, they produced two unbelievable timepieces, taking horology to a new level.
The Tour de L’Ile was the most complicated double-faced wristwatch ever made. With 834 parts, 16 complications, and astronomical dials, it took over 10,000 hours of research and development to create.
The estimated sales for each of the seven they would eventually produce was a price around $1 million.
Vacheron Constantin Quality
Vacheron produces only about 20,000 pieces per year. That’s a relatively low production number in the watchmaking world.
Some of the famous owners of Vacheron watches were the Duke of Windsor, Pope Pius XI, Harry Truman, and Napolean Bonaparte. Vacheron Constantin will be a brand remembered for its commitment to precision, design, technology, and craftsmanship for many years to come.
Each piece creates lasting value for its owners. The brand is a symbol of excellence, resilience, and dedication for longer than anyone else around.
In French, it would be said Vacheron is dedicated to Haute Horlogerie or ‘high watchmaking.’
Vacheron Constantin Collections
Over the years, Vacheron has created beautiful watch collections. With stainless steel, diamonds, pink gold, and even alligator leather straps, Vacheron brings elements together for unforgettable Swiss watchmaking genius.
The Traditionnelle Collection
Straight from the 18th century, the Traditionnelle Collection pay tribute to the craftsmen who passed the skill of watchmaking on to future generations.
Traditionnelle Tourbillons collection began in 1801 with a patent to keep pocket watches in perfect time, no matter what vertical position the watch was held.
Now, pre-owned Traditionnelle Tourbillon 18k Pink Gold watches with 46 round-cut diamonds surrounding the face are one of the most popular women’s watches from Vacheron. Also created in rose gold, yellow gold, and white gold.
The Métiers D’art Collection
The Métiers D’art Collection includes 26 different models, all with amazing and creative features to make this line one of the most fascinating of any Vacheron watches.
A few of the most famous models include the Legend of Chinese Zodiac, the Kalla Duchesse, and the American $20 Gold Eagle model.
The Egerie Collection
The women’s Egerie line of watches pulls inspiration from some of the oldest lines of Vacheron watches dating back to the nineteenth century.
The most recognizable feature of the Egerie Collection is the off-center display and two overlayed circles.
The inside of an Egerie watch includes a self-winding movement and 40 hours of power reserve.
The Overseas Collection
The Overseas Automatic in stainless steel with the blue dial is one of my favorite watches. Its simple design highlights the timeless Vacheron functionality of the Swiss watch.
Also included in the Overseas Collection are numerous options. The Overseas Quartz, Self-Winding, Chronograph, Dual Time, World Time, and Tourbillion are a few other popular designs from the collection.
The Overseas collection features a blue dial, silver dial, brown, black, and white dials.
The Historiques Collection
One of the most popular models from this collection is the Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921. Although it’s not based on a model from 1921, but one from 1919. The dial includes Arabic numerals in black, along with a second hand between 2 and 4 o’clock.
Another classic Historiques model is the Cornes De Vache. From the original 1955 “cow horns” manual-winding chronograph, the Cornes De Vache brings back classic mid-century horology.
The Patrimony Collection
The minimalist Patrimony Collection is inspired by the design lines of the 1950s Vacheron models. There are 18 models in the Patrimony Contemporaine line and another 82 models in the Patrimony Traditionnelle group.
The collection is recognized by the Vacheron classic, round cases with contemporary or traditional motifs.
The Fiftysix Collection
Vacheron Constantin’s Fiftysix Complete Calendar model pays tribute to the original 1956 design and includes a full calendar displaying the day and month. The moon is positioned on the lower half of the dial tracking the natural ups and downs of its rotation around the earth.
Another beautiful model from the collection is the Fiftysix self-winding. With the Maltese Cross on the dial and only a few other elements, it’s another clean, manual-winding tip of the cap to the 1956 model, and to Swiss watchmaking from a not-too-distant time period.
Vacheron features a Fiftysix Day Date, available in pink gold and steel.
The Malte Collection
Vacheron began using the Maltese cross for its emblem in 1880, and created a collection of 19 watches after the cross. The Malte Collection features a rectangular case in Moonphase, Dual-Time, Tourbillon, and Open Skeleton models.
The women’s line from the Malte Collection can include a staggering array of diamonds and jewels.
The Vacheron Maltese Cross Logo
Since 1755, Vacheron has been focused on redefining horology, year after year. In 1877, the watchmaker re-branded its name to ‘Vacheron & Constantin, Fabricants, Geneve.’
Not only did they change their official name, but they updated the company logo to the Maltese Cross.
Why does Vacheron use a Maltese Cross for its logo? Dating back to the First Crusade, the Knights of Malta used the Maltese Cross in the 1500s. The symbol was similar to the shape of a watch movement produced by Vacheron.
Now, the Maltese Cross is featured on the bezel and the bracelet of many Vacheron timepieces.
The Vacheron Constantin Geneva Seal
Introduced in 1886, the Geneva Seal is a symbol of fine watchmaking and a hallmark of reliability, craftsmanship, and provenance.
The Republic of Canton of Geneva labels each watch created within its city by the stamp of Poincon de Geneve, or the Hallmark of Geneva.
It was introduced by Societe des Horloger over one hundred years ago as a way to protect the Swiss watchmaking industry from counterfeiters and protect the Swiss reputation as watchmaking excellence.
Over 20 million watches are manufactured in Switzerland every year, but only 23,000 carry the Hallmark of Geneva stamp of approval.
Most Valuable Vacheron Constantin Watches
- Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillion $1,031,000
- Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Platinum $631,800
- Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Minute Repeater Tourbillon $426,400
- Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton Dial $390,000
- Vacheron Constantin Overseas Skeleton Dial $309,500
- Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon $190,000
- Vacheron Constantin Malte Tonneau Tourbillon Limited Edition $150,000
- Vacheron Constantin Metiers D’art $124,800
- Vacheron Constantin Metiers D’art Les Aerostiers Versailles $113,000
- Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Calendar Openface $82,800
- Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Perpetual Calendar Moon Phase $68,000
- Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time $65,800
- Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph $63,000
