Vacheron Constantin - The ultra-thin heritage
The Geneva-based manufacturer has indeed been closely involved in the epic milestones of this distinctive form of expertise, such as in the 1950s and 1960s when Vacheron Constantin introduced the world's thinnest wristwatches.
Today, Vacheron Constantin is enriching its "Historiques" collection with two new creations directly inspired by its heritage, each lending a new and distinctively modern touch to one of two legendary calibers.
"Historique Ultra-fine 1955", currently the world's thinnest mechanical hand-wound watch measuring just 4.10 mm thick. It is equipped with the mechanical hand-wound 1003 movement, the thinnest in the world at just 1.64 mm thick, rebuilt in 2010 for its 55th anniversary in 18-carat gold, and bearing the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva.
"Historique Ultra-fine 1968", equipped with the ultra-thin mechanical self-winding 1120 movement featuring a new decorated oscillating weight, and bearing the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva.
Vacheron Constantin was founded in 1755 and can legitimately claim to be the world's oldest watch manufacturer still in activity, with over 250 years of continuous expertise and production behind it. A truly unique status within the watch industry.
This proud heritage cultivated over a quarter of a millennium is punctuated with timepieces and movements that have each in their own way left an indelible imprint on their era. This stunning and inestimably valuable patrimony, through which the brand's history is inextricably bound up with that of the watch industry, eloquently testifies to the brand's consistent technical and aesthetic creativity.
Evolving in step with new inventions, techniques and of course with the tastes of horological enthusiasts, Vacheron Constantin has explored all fields of the watchmaking art, including pocket-watches and wristwatches, as well as ring-watches, pendant-watches, and brooch-watches. Its range encompasses highly complicated models, automatons, sophisticated clocks, as well as an area which is less conspicuous yet requires an incredible wealth of expertise, experience and talent: that of ultra-thin mechanical movements.
Extreme slenderness is traditionally not considered as a horological complication, in that it does not itself contribute an additional watch function in the same way as a date or a chronograph. It would nonetheless be entirely legitimate to describe it as such, due to its highly complex nature that often pushes micromechanical boundaries to the limit. Although many try their hand in this field, few are successful.
While the first ultra-thin Vacheron Constantin calibers were produced in the 19th century, the manufacturer became most prolific in this speciality during the 20th century, which is generally considered as the ultra-thin "golden age". It was indeed in the early 20th century that wristwatches began to gain popularity, and weight and thickness thus became crucial factors in ensuring the wearer comfort of such models.
The Vacheron Constantin heritage comprises extraordinary ultra-thin creations and a succession of slimness records
Right from the start of the 19th century, the Vacheron Constantin archives (including a letter written by Jacques-Barthelemi Vacheron to a certain Mr. Girod in Paris, dated May 18th 1812) feature references to thin watches. Another letter dated January 27th 1829 and written by Jacques-Barthelemi Vacheron to François Constantin also mentions the production of "a few thin pieces".
Vacheron Constantin's historical records for 1911 also include three 8, 9 and 10-ligne calibers, each measuring 2.82 mm thick. The remainder of the century witnessed an impressive number of ultra-thin calibers, representing impressive horological feats and becoming ever slimmer over the years: 2.25 mm in 1917, 1.88 in 1924. Some were used to create such extraordinary models as a rock crystal watch presented in 1926 and equipped with a 2.63 mm red gold movement (visual available).
In 1931, Vacheron Constantin set a new world pocket-watch record with a mechanical movement measuring 17 lignes 5/12 in diameter and less than 1 mm thick - exactly 0.94 mm to be precise (visual available)!
Ultra-thin movements continued to inspire the Geneva-based manufacturer, leading it in 1981 to present the "Structura" collection, which set a highly original stage for one of these movements by reversing it and fitting the hands on the bridge side, thereby enabling connoisseurs to admire the full complexity of its structure.
In 1992, Vacheron Constantin confirmed that its expertise in the field of extreme slenderness also extends to Grand Complication movements by presenting the thinnest minute-repeater wristwatch movement to date, measuring 3.28 mm and earning the Geneva-based manufacturer another record.
The world's thinnest mechanical movements are developed in Vacheron Constantin's historical L'Ile premises
Within this impressive legacy, one particular hand-wound movement continues to attract the attention of specialists and collectors. Work on its development began in 1952 in L'Ile (the building on the Rhone River 'island' that has housed Vacheron Constantin's histo-rical premises since 1875) and it was presented for the brand bicentenary celebrations in 1955 under the name Caliber 1003 considered as the most beautiful at this time. Its 9-lignes or 20.80 mm diameter and 1.64 mm thickness have made it the world's smallest mechanical manual-winding movement on the market. By way of comparison, this micromechanical masterpiece composed of 117 parts is about the size of a small Swiss 20-centime coin.
This now legendary caliber (of which the excellence was to be confirmed by the subsequent orders placed by other great names in fine watchmaking) was used to equip three round watches that set a new record as the world's thinnest watches measuring just 4.54 mm thick. These three timepieces have forever imprinted on people's minds the image of the archetypal Vacheron Constantin watch: round, classic, ultra-thin and extremely reliable.
In 2010, Vacheron Constantin has chosen to pay tribute to this legendary caliber by housing it within a reinterpretation of one of those three watches: the "Historique Ultra-fine 1955", currently the world's thinnest hand-wound watch measuring just 4.10 mm thick to date.
The development of Caliber 1120 began in 1966 and production began at the end of 1967. It too attracted the notice of specialists and collectors and was ordered by other great names in fine watchmaking. In 2010, Vacheron Constantin has also chosen to pay tribute to this equally legendary caliber by housing it within a reinterpretation of the vintage ultra-thin watches: the model now called "Historique Ultra-fine 1968".
These two timepieces will find their natural place within the "Historiques" collection, specifically created to bring back to life the various designs and movements that have shaped the finest hours of Vacheron Constantin.
A collection composed of watches intended for watchmaking collectors, connoisseurs and devotees, for those with a taste for discreet and elegant models, as well as purists. It features models such as the Chronometre Royal 1907 presented in 2007 to mark the 100th anniversary of the original, and the amazingly daring Historique American 1921 model reinterpreted in 2008 and which was named "Watch of the Year" in October 2009 in Geneva.
"Historiques" collection
Calibre 1003 for the "Historique Ultra-fine 1955" watch
For Vacheron Constantin, celebrating the 55th anniversary of the birth of the ultra-thin Caliber 1003 provides an opportunity to revisit its heritage, as well as to highlight its ultra-thin expertise in a period when this term tends to be somewhat overused.
Considered by many experts to be one of the most beautiful and refined ultra-thin movements on the market, Caliber 1003 has been defying mechanical laws for over 50 years. It is extremely complex to produce and its adjustment calls upon the full measure of expertise cultivated by a fine watch manufacturer.
Vacheron Constantin has chosen to present a redesigned version of this movement, while its 1.64 mm thickness - still a market slimness world record - and its 20.80 mm diameter remain unchanged. Its finishing is however even more refined, since the bridges and mainplate are now crafted from 18-carat gold. Its 117 parts enable it to beat at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations/hour, and endow it with an over 30-hour power reserve despite its tiny size.
The decoration is extremely meticulous: Côtes de Geneve, bevelling and chamfering, and drawing the steel parts with a file are all performed by hand. This exceptional degree of finishing earns the new version of Caliber 1003 the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva, an independent and sovereign certification awarded by the State of Geneva which thereby guarantees the origin, precision, durability and fine craftsmanship of models from a handful of Geneva-based watch companies.
For its 2010 re-edition, Caliber 1003 is presented in a round watch in 18-carat 4N rose gold measuring 36 mm in diameter, inspired by one of the three historical models introduced in 1955 (reference 6099). The latter has been selected because of a design that already embodied a decidedly modern touch at the time of its launch.
The reinterpreted version in 2010 magnifies the aesthetic qualities of the original without betraying its spirit. It also features further enhanced technical characteristics on a par with today's tastes and expectations: water-resistance to 3 bar, equivalent to 30 meters; an exhibition caseback fitted with a transparent sapphire crystal; a titanium casing circle contributing to the overall rigidity; and an even slimmer 4.1 mm case making it currently the world's thinnest mechanical hand-wound watch.
The result radiates an aura of uncluttered, pared-down restraint and purity. Its fascinating aesthetic features - the slender bezel; the distinctive lugs, each shaped like an arm of Vacheron Constantin's Maltese Cross emblem; its solid gold opaline silver-coloured dial adorned with baton hands marking the hours and minutes - combine to endow this watch with a rare breed of elegance stemming from the compelling strength of sheer simplicity.
" Historiques" collection
The "Historique Ultra-fine 1968" watch and Calibre 1120
Vacheron Constantin has chosen to make 2010 a tribute year to its ultra-thin timepieces by reissuing, again within its "Historiques" collection, a square-shaped model dating from 1968 and equipped with the famous ultra-thin self-winding Caliber 1120.
In revisiting this watch, the manufacture has adopted an extremely distinctive style: that of the 1960s. This 18-carat 4N rose gold timepiece creates a striking contrast between the strict square dial opening and the slightly curving case flanks. The resulting design exudes an impression of elegant understatement, further accentuated by a vertical-brushed silver-coloured dial adorned with simple and geometrical hour-markers. The pared-down lugs lend a pleasingly strict touch to the overall effect, while the sapphire crystal that is bevelled all around further underscores the ties between this watch and the non-conformist period when it was first launched. Everything about the design echoes the legendary Swinging Sixties through an original model that has in time become a great classic.
Compared with the original 1968 watch (reference 7614), the watch now presented features updated technical characteristics in tune with modern times: water resistance to 3 bar, equivalent to around 30 meters; a sapphire crystal, and a clipped-down solid case-back exactly like the original model. Despite such improvements, which generally tend to increase bulk, this watch measuring 35.2 mm along its sides is even thinner than its historical predecessor: 5.50 mm compared with 6.52 mm, making it one of the thinnest watches in its category.
Like the 1968 model, the contemporary version is equipped with the ultra-thin self-winding Caliber 1120. This exceptional movement driving hour and minute hands has powered some of the most prestigious ultra-thin self-winding watches in horological history.
Despite its apparent simplicity, it features a sophisticated construction that called for some unusual technical solutions. For this re-edition, the manufacture Vacheron Constantin has rebuilt the caliber: although its dimensions - 28 mm in diameter and 2.45 thick - remain unchanged, it is now equipped with an 18-carat gold oscillating weight bearing the Maltese Cross system. It offers an approximately 40-hour power reserve. Stamped with the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva , its exceptional finishing features Côtes de Geneve, bevelling and chamfering on all parts, and hand-drawn flanks.
By way of conclusion, in 2010 Vacheron Constantin has chosen to re-issue two ultra-thin watches that have made their mark on its history, duly christened "Historique Ultra-fine 1955" and "Historique Ultra-fine 1968". By choosing to equip them with the same legendary vintage calibers - the 1003 and 1120 rebuilt for the occasion and now bearing the independent and sovereign Hallmark of Geneva certification - the manufacture is showcasing its peerless creativity in the field of exceptional classic watches. And in the process, it is also demonstrating its complete mastery of extreme slenderness by treating it as a full-fledged complication in its own right.
Vacheron Constantin - The human face(s) of time
GMT XXL - Summer 2009
Can a timepiece serve as a cultural bridge between nations? The founders of Vacheron Constantin believed in and consistently supported this viewpoint. In 2007, the Manufacture felt the need to pay tribute to the most sublime manifestations of human genius. This long path of discovery led the watchmakers to journey through time and space in search of mankind's roots and to explore one of the finest expressions of the human soul. Which subject could most subtly evoke the human experience? The mask concept turned out to be an obvious one, for Geneva is extremely fortunate in having one of the world's finest museums of primitive art, the Barbier-Mueller Museum.
Its proximity guided Vacheron Constantin in its final choice. The Metiers d'Art "Les Masques" collection, therefore, grew out of a reflection on the near and far, the past, present and future, and the process of constant renewal. Once the museum was convinced of the timeliness of this project, twelve masks from the Barber-Mueller collection were chosen for miniature reproduction. These exceptional creations are now featured at the heart of the dial of each timepiece in a collection spanning 2,000 years of history and 4 continents.
Because Vacheron Constantin is intimately acquainted with the meaning of time, the Manufacture naturally followed the natural rhythm of such exceptional creations. It took many long months to develop the movement, before the master craftsmen applied various techniques to reproducing these works of art in miniature. The whole process implied taking time for questioning, for reflection and for invention, and because such creativity is indeed all about time, the Metiers d'Art "Les Masques" collection is a longrunning story. Over the past three years, a boxed set of four new masks has been presented each year in a limited series of 25, the most recent of which represents the final opus of this extraordinary collection.
Each timepiece is equipped with the self-winding Caliber 2460G4 movement, bearing the prestigious Poinçon de Geneve, or Hallmark of Geneva. This special movement enables time to be read off without any hands, leaving the centre of the dial free for the craftsmen express their creative talent. The movement has been completely redesigned to receive the masks; even though time is the governing principle here, the masks are the center-piece and must accordingly be placed firmly in the spotlight. To ensure attention is focused on them, the design team had the idea of almost entirely concealing the movement. Thanks to a clever play on transparency and the special treatment of the glass, the mask seems to be actually suspended in thin air. The effect is truly dramatic, making the miniature mask appear to be within reach, the silent garden of time-honored ancestral secrets.
In order to successfully fulfill this creative adventure, the Manufacture patiently fine-tuned these works of art, faithfully reproducing the model and devising combinations of techniques blending past and future, traditions and cutting-edge technologies. The perfect miniaturization of the masks in the third boxed set is a perfect example of this approach. From the Indonesian mask with its lifelike expression of amazement, to the profoundly sacred aura radiating from the Chinese mask, the powerful and austere profile of the Mexican pendant mask, or the melancholy gaze of the Gabonese mask, This summer, Vacheron Constantin is going for gray with two new models in the Overseas collection.
In the Overseas Automatic and the Overseas Automatic Chronograph, the Manufacture takes the theme to its ultimate conclusion with a slate gray dial, mouse gray strap, anthracite gray titanium bezel and gray steel case. This subtle color palette is admirably suited to this dynamic, sporting line dedicated since 1996 to all continenthopping devotees of technical and aesthetic excellence.
The generous 42 mm-diameter case of these two new models features all the signature characteristics of the Overseas collection: streamlined design, Maltese Cross-inspired bezel, hour-markers and screw-lock pushers for the chronograph version; hour-markers highlighted by luminescent white material, water resistance to 150 meters, as well as the three-masted Amerigo Vespucci sailing ship motif symbolizing the Overseas line and engraved on the solid case-back. This fascinating travel invitation combining functionality and readability beats to the rhythm of a mechanical self-winding movement Caliber 1226 for the conventional model and Caliber 1137 for the chronograph model - entirely protected by a dedicated soft iron casing that makes it completely impervious to the effects of magnetism that are omnipresent in our daily lives and liable to affect the regularity of rate and thus the accuracy of the watch.
[Rating: 5 / 5 stars]
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