Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Vacheron Constantin!

VACHERON CONSTANTIN: Proficiency in Watchmaking Excellence

Founded in 1755 during the Enlightenment, Vacheron Constantin stands alone in horology as the oldest watch manufacturer with more than 250 years of uninterrupted and skilled production. For over the past two-and-a-half centuries, Vacheron Constantin still bears the mark of ingenuity thus displaying the lively and prolific spirit of Geneva watch making.




In the world of Vacheron Constantin, the Patrimony collection best expresses the manufacturing company’s genetic makeup that is the inheritance of skills painstakingly acquired since its inception. Their round cases span the past and the future as an eternal design of natural elegance that needs no adornment, for the simple beauty of time-honored workmanship is sufficient to denote Swiss watchmaking of the highest order. The collection remains true to the artistry apparent in some of Vacheron Constantin’s finest historical work. The craftsmanship serves as a reminder that tradition and modernity coexist as a matter of course.

The “Calibre 2253” model in the Collection Excellence Platine is an outstanding timepiece and chief among the Grand Complication models presented by Vacheron Constantin. In addition to the tourbillon escapement, it includes such astronomical complications as the perpetual calendar, the times of sunrise and sunset and the equation of time. Furthermore it has an exceptional running time of 14 days. Only 10 numbered pieces will be produced in this limited edition. The Calibre 2253 movement also bears the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva, which is an independent and legally sanctioned label of workmanship, origin, precision, resilience and competence. This seal of watch making perfection, among the oldest of professional labels, is reserved for a handful of Geneva manufacturers.

The “Calibre 2755” on the other hand is a watch in platinum concentrates - the major complications in which Vacheron Constantin excels both technically and stylistically. It combines the tourbillon and the perpetual calendar with a minute-repeater that features an original and completely silent mechanism to pace the strike. This particular model belongs to the super-complication category as a worthy heir of Vacheron Constantin’s 250th anniversary masterpiece and as the ultimate demonstration of its unequalled skills. Such a revelation of the quintessence of the watchmaker’s art provides the most accomplished expression of that art and its three score of associated crafts that are in daily practice at Vacheron Constantin.


The third model, also in platinum, is the Patrimony Traditionnelle Chronograph Perpetual Calendar “Calibre 1141QP”, which embodies the Vacheron Constantin convention in styling. It brings together a chronograph and a perpetual calendar driven by a highly regarded hand-wound movement. It carries an exceptional design that has been used in some of the best chronographs. Experts consider it a model of highly complex chronograph construction.

This jewel of the watchmaker’s art that’s only 7.40 mm thick is of the mechanical kind and wound by hand. To give it due honor, Vacheron Constantin this year presents it in a case commensurate with its status: a version in 950 platinum of the Patrimony Traditionnelle model that took its place from the outset among the reference masterpieces of the Geneva-based manufacturer. Like all Vacheron Constantin movements, the Calibre 1141QP is distinguished by the detailed manual labour that goes into chamfering the bridge plates decorated in Côtes de Genève and by the circular graining of the baseplate, also done by hand.


Vacheron Constantin is exclusively distributed by Rustan’s Commercial Corporation and is available at Rustan’s SilverVault in Rustan’s Department Store in Makati.


If I collect jewelry then AG collects watches. But he doesn't have this brand yet. But when I can afford it, I would definitely buy him a Vacheron Constantin. No doubt!

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