Vacheron Constantin is classicism par excellence. A gentleman or a lady who is looking for a watch with pure lines, which also incorporates a reference mechanism, will find exceptional pieces in the catalog of this manufacture, especially in the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony collection, a reference for all those who enjoy watchmaking. based on the traditional patterns of Swiss watchmaking.

This week we review the history of Vacheron Constantin, focusing on the characteristics of the Patrimony line.

The history of Vacheron Constantin

Vacheron Constantin is the oldest Swiss Watch Manufacturer in existence today, this fact alone speaks for what VC represents for the Swiss watch industry.

Vacheron Constantin began making watches in 1755, when Jean-Marc Vacheron opened his first haute horlogerie workshop in Geneva.

However, it was not until 1819 that he was associated with Fran?ois Constantin, giving rise to the brand as we know it today.

Today the brand works from Plan-les-Ouates, a Geneva municipality where the brand opened its manufactory in 2004.

Among the milestones of the brand, the following should be highlighted:

1755: The year the manufacture is established, Fran?ois Constantin launches the brand's first silver pocket watch, some of which are still in use.

1790: In this year Vacheron launches its first complication watch, it is a wall clock capable of showing the day of the week and the date, a milestone for its times.

1824: In this year one of the most mythical classic models is manufactured, a pocket watch with jumping hours, which shows the hour and minutes on different spheres.

1880: VC launches what will be its typical banner, the Maltese Cross as its distinctive logo.

1884: Another milestone for the brand occurs at the end of the 19th century, the first double-sided pocket watch. To the indication of the hours is added a rear dial with a 48-month calendar, dates and moon phases.

1889: The brand's first wristwatch appears, a gold design with a diamond bezel.

1912: VC breaks with the traditional round design of wristwatch making, which was just beginning, to offer a tonneau-shaped watch with an elongated bezel, which led the way for many subsequent designs.

1946: After the end of World War II, Vacheron Constantin creates a watch specially designed for King Farouk of Egypt, a gold pocket watch with 14 complications and 820 components.

1955: Vacheron Constantin turns 200 and launches the thinnest hand-wound watch in the world at the time, with a 1.64mm case.

2004: The manufacture moves to its current location, Plans-les-Ouates.

2009: This year Vacheron Constantin breaks a world record by making a women's piece with 186 emerald diamonds, around 170 carats.

2015: A year that will remain for the posterity of the brand, since it was able to make the watch with the most complications to date, with a total of 57. A total of 8 years and 3 master watchmakers were needed to manufacture this unique watch.

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Why is Vacheron Constantin's Patrimony line special? Because it has achieved the perfection of the traditional circular design, harmonizing the proportions of the classic Swiss watch.

The main inspiration is the pieces created during the fifties of the last century, the elegance made into a watch in pure and classic lines, stylized and focused on details.

The brand itself defines the collection as the perfect balance between sobriety and complexity, in a case that does not exceed 8 mm. in any of their models.

However, despite the apparent simplicity of the Patrimony models, each watch is a marvel of watchmaking creativity, both in its external appearance and in its internal movement.

The models vary slightly, but they all follow a similar structure, with a circular case with clean, polished lines. One of the typical features of this collection is the retrograde date and weekly day calendar. In other models, the second hand has its own dial, there are also models that have a moon phase counter, in the more classic models, the dial appears clean, with a window indicator for the date.

The other Vacheron Constantin collections

VC has a catalog with 10 different collections of watches, we review the other 9.

Traditionelle: Handcrafted watches for lovers of haute horlogerie.

Fiftysix: A retro look with clearly contemporary designs.

Overseas: Extremely precise marine-inspired watches.

Malte: A tribute to its own logo and the legendary barrel design.

Historiques: Watches that redefine the brand's classic models.

Metiers D'Art: Works of art inspired by all the civilizations of the world.

Heures Créatives: Art Nouveau inspiration in the most feminine pieces.

Harmony: A model inspired by the classic cushion shape with several variations.

Quai De L'Ile: A collection that serves as a tribute to the place where the manufacture was based for decades.

The pieces that make up the Vacheron Constantin collections offer all kinds of designs, in fact, few manufactures have up to 10 different lines, however, despite the variety of models that VC offers, all its watches follow the strict norm of the tradition, especially inside, with movements that are a benchmark for the entire Swiss Watch Manufacturing Industry.

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