Scrabble the Seconds: Vacheron Constantin Celebrates 270 Years of Watchmaking
Nearly three centuries of watchmaking to celebrate; need we say more?
By Cait Bazemore
Contributor
Founded in 1755, Vacheron Constantin is the oldest watchmaker in continuous production – a pretty impressive claim to fame – and this year, the Maison is celebrating its incredible 270th anniversary.
The brand’s catalog spans from elegant three-handers to the most complicated watch ever made: the Berkley Grand Complication from 2024, boasting a whopping 63 functions. It’s clear that despite its old age, Vacheron isn’t slowing down anytime soon, with another 270+ years of innovation still ahead of them.
Big Anniversary, Big Expectations
There’s a lot of fanfare in the watch industry around anniversaries of brands and significant models. Of course, there’s merit in commemorating these moments – they present an opportunity to reflect on achievements, evolution, and future direction.
However, more and more, it seems the pressure is on for brands to outdo themselves with each subsequent milestone. For a brand like Vacheron, which only last year released a record-breaking watch for the most complicated timepiece ever made, that pressure could be insurmountable to deliver something even more extraordinary for the brand’s 270th birthday.
There’s undoubtedly value in brands pushing the bounds of watchmaking. Yet, these record-setting watches are all too often one-of-a-kind or highly limited, ending up as an investment piece tucked in a safe or on display at a museum.
However, I’d love to see some anniversary watches that are a little more down-to-earth and accessible to a brand’s longstanding collector community because I think there’s equal value in the practice of restraint when it comes to design.
Past and Present
For me, two collections within the Vacheron Constantin catalog really embody the essence of the brand: the Traditionnelle and the Patrimony.
The Traditionnelle dates back to the Roaring Twenties but draws deeper into the brand’s heritage from the 18th century and the principles of haute horlogerie. As the collection evolved into the ‘30s and ‘40s – a period some considered the golden age of complications – the Traditionnelle leaned into calendar functions and tourbillions while retaining its signature design language: a stepped round case, railway minute track, fine bezel, fluted case back, and classic dauphine-shaped hands.
The Patrimony is a much newer line, first introduced in 2004. It represents the quintessential dress watch in a form that’s both pure and contemporary, ushering the historic brand into the modern era.
With this collection, Vacheron has distilled nearly 300 years of history into equally of-the-moment and timeless models. The design is most notable for its ultra-thin construction, which has broken records over the years.
At Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024, Vacheron gave us the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph in platinum, crossing over into its exclusive Collection Excellence Platine family. Taking center stage was the Patrimony 20th Anniversary collection, offering two gorgeous time-only versions along with the Patrimony Moon Phase Retrograde Date.
With the Patrimony getting the spotlight for its own anniversary last year, perhaps it’s wishful thinking to hope for another commemorative edition this year. I’m still holding out hope for a new interpretation of the Traditionnelle as part of the 270th anniversary festivities, but perhaps Vacheron will continue to outdo itself. A follow-up to the already released 222 in steel? The bar is high.
