At the Pont de la Machine in Geneva, Vacheron Constantin is temporarily opening its doors to an extraordinary journey through its own history. On the occasion of the pop-up exhibition “The Quest: 270 years of seeking excellence” in Geneva, we explore the question of how Vacheron Constantin has managed to surpass itself time and time again.
The watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has been in existence for 270 years – without interruption, mind you. Naturally, such an anniversary is a fitting occasion to celebrate it with special models. Expectations are high among the brand’s discerning collectors and us journalists alike – and yet the Maison took us all by surprise this year. At the beginning of January, Vacheron presented a new 222 in steel, followed by the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grande Complication in April , a new world record for the most complicated wristwatch ever made. In the summer, the first Overseas Grand Complication was unveiled, and recently three new Metiers d’Art timepieces with elaborate zodiac signs were released. Now, as the anniversary year draws to a close, Vacheron Constantin has once again surpassed itself with an automaton (including a matching wristwatch) that left many speechless (and not just because the creation is over 1 metre tall). The Maison thus demonstrates and proves that even after 270 years of creativity, it has not run out of ideas and maintains an innovative spirit.
To find out more, we travelled to Geneva, where the manufacturer is presenting the exhibition ‘The Quest: 270 years of seeking excellence’ to mark its 270th anniversary. The exhibition is open to the public until 28 September. The exhibition is more than just a retrospective; it is designed as an immersive and educational experience that takes visitors through the past, present and future of the world’s oldest continuously operating watchmaker. It pays homage to the core values that have shaped the company’s identity since 1755 and serves as a tangible manifestation of its guiding principle, which has continuously determined the pulse of the Manufacture since 1819: ‘Faire mieux si possible, ce qui est toujours possible’ (Do better if possible, and that is always possible).
François Constantin included this sentence in a letter to his partner Jacques Barthélémy Vacheron, and it is more than just a slogan. It has become the driving force behind the company’s 270-year uninterrupted history. From the first signed pocket watches to the most recent world records, each piece presented in the exhibition acts, therefore, not just a stand-alone exhibit, but is a link in a coherent narrative that connects the past with the future.
But how does one manage to exist continuously over such a long period of time, with social upheavals, wars and technological revolutions, and not only that, but always strive to do a little better? Marking the anniversary, you can get a good overview of this not only at the temporary exhibition in Geneva, but also through the many anniversary models with which Vacheron Constantin has set off a horological fireworks display this year.
The tour of the exhibition naturally begins where it all started and the story took its course. Here, visitors can marvel at a copy of the founding document from 1755: the contract signed by 24-year-old master watchmaker Jean-Marc Vacheron with his first apprentice. This inconspicuous document marks the beginning of the manufacture. Another decisive milestone was the partnership formed in 1819 between the founder’s grandson, Jacques Barthélémy Vacheron, and businessman François Constantin. Constantin, already a frequent traveller at the time, opened up new markets for the company and established its brand philosophy. Visitors can virtually ‘leaf through’ the history of the Maison using an interactive book.
This first part of the exhibition showcases two models that have shaped the Maison: the first pocket watch, built by founder Jean-Marc Vacheron around 1755, and a pocket watch with grand feu enamel work from 1948, inspired by Jean Du Bois’ ‘View of Geneva from the Bois de la Bâtie’, an allusion to the Swiss watchmaker’s Geneva roots. The enamel drawings are not only outstanding in terms of craftsmanship, but are also still remain in perfect condition, as enamel has the advantage of not ageing. Both timepieces are still owned by Vacheron Constantin today and demonstrate that the watchmaker set technical and artistic standards very early on.
Another key chapter in the brand’s history is its collaboration with Georges-Auguste Leschot, who revolutionised watchmaking with a decisive invention in 1839: the use of the pantograph for the mass production of movement parts. This innovation ensured that components were of consistent quality and interchangeable, which significantly improved production quality and established Vacheron Constantin as a pioneer of industrial precision. The manufacture itself also continued to evolve. In 2004, Vacheron Constantin moved into a new, modern production facility in Plan-les-Ouates, whose building is designed in the shape of half a Maltese cross.
The exhibition also highlights the significance of the Maltese cross, which became the manufacture’s official emblem in 1880. The symbol has its origins in a functional component of the movement – a cover on the barrel that kept the tension of the mainspring constant in order to improve accuracy. The Maltese cross has since evolved from a purely technical purpose to the manufacture’s aesthetic identity.
The journey through history inevitably leads to the 222, which is presented in the exhibition as a response to the emerging quartz crisis in the 1970s. It was a bold creation for its time, with an integrated bracelet designed by Jorg Hysek, not, as is often mistakenly assumed, by Gérald Genta. Initially, the 222 was not a great commercial success, but these days it is highly sought after by collectors. Its legacy lives on today, primarily in the Overseas collection, although Vacheron has since reissued the historic 222 reference and is marketing it as a separate collection, albeit with very limited production.
The first generation of the Overseas was introduced in 1996, but it was the third generation from 2016 that made the line a modern benchmark. With its slim, six-sided bezel, which references the Maltese cross, and its elegant, integrated bracelet, the Overseas designed its own identity away from the mainstream, to which it is often compared. Today, it is technically superior, equipped with a manufacture calibre, the Geneva Seal, and an innovative quick-change system for straps.
This evolutionary adaptation of the line is also evident in the new models presented for the 270th anniversary. The Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin has been expanded with two new, striking dial options: one in 18-carat white gold with a burgundy lacquer and sunburst dial, and another in 18-carat 5N rose gold with a tone-on-tone rose gold dial.
As the highlight of this development, the Manufacture also presented the Overseas Grand Complication Openface this year, which combines a sporty watch with a minute repeater for the first time in the collection. The watch case and bracelet are made of Grade 5 titanium, which makes it a watch for everyday use despite its complexity, as it is light and comfortable to wear.
Similar to the Traditionnelle models, the watch’s ‘openface’ design offers a wonderful insight into its complex inner workings. Transparent dial elements and a sapphire crystal sandwich construction give the impression that the subdials are floating above the mechanics. The watch is powered by the hand-wound calibre 2755 QP, which combines a minute repeater with a perpetual calendar, a tourbillon, and a power reserve indicator on the back of the movement.
The exhibition area dedicated to the arts and crafts celebrates the women and men behind the horological masterpieces. These artisans, including engravers, guillocheurs, stone setters, and enamellers, are the true guardians of the Manufacture’s intangible heritage. The Métiers d’Art department carefully nurtures and preserves rare crafts that have been passed down through generations like family heirlooms.
The art of enamelling is described as one of the most delicate and oldest arts in watchmaking. The process begins with finely ground glass mixed with metal oxides to create colour pigments. This material is applied in thin layers to a metal base and fired at temperatures exceeding 800 degrees Celsius to fuse it to the surface and create vibrant colours. Each firing carries the risk of hairline cracks or bubbles, making this art form a delicate process that requires years of practice.
If you would like to know all the details about the various techniques used to work with enamel, please read our detailed article on the subject here.
The exhibition also focuses on meticulous hand engraving and guilloché work. Engraving adds depth and detail to the watches, while guilloché is an ancient mechanical technique in which a guilloché machine is used to engrave fine, repetitive geometric patterns into the surface of the dial or movement. The combination of mechanical precision and artistic talent is particularly striking in these art forms.
The gem setter is celebrated in the exhibition as an ‘artist of light’, who places gemstones in such a way that they unfold their maximum brilliance. A legendary example of this craftsmanship is the 1979 Kallista watch, which was carved from a one-kilogram gold bar and set with 118 diamonds worth approximately 130 carats.
To mark its 270th anniversary, the manufacturer presented the new Métiers d’Art Tribute to The Celestial series, which is intended to draw even more attention to the fact that the Maison’s Métiers d’Art are among the best in the world, especially in this anniversary year. The collection consists of twelve limited-edition watches, each dedicated to a zodiac sign and its corresponding constellation. The centrepiece of this series is the hand-guilloché work, which no longer serves merely as an abstract pattern, but has been transformed into a figurative representation for the first time.
On the blue sunburst dials, the respective constellations are highlighted with brilliant-cut diamonds, making each piece a miniature sky map on the wrist. The bezels, lugs, and crown of the white gold cases are set with 96 baguette-cut sapphires, requiring around 27 hours of work per watch. The finish of the case and dials is impeccable.
The watches are powered by the ultra-thin, automatic tourbillon movement calibre 2160. With a height of only 5.65 mm, an 80-hour power reserve and the Geneva Seal attesting to its high quality of workmanship, the calibre is a technical masterpiece that is in no way inferior to the artistic aesthetics of the watches.
With the Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time, Vacheron Constantin has just presented a double-sided wristwatch designed as a direct homage to the La Quête du Temps automaton watch mentioned at the beginning, which was also presented for the 270th anniversary. The main theme: the retrograde display, which is deeply rooted in the history of the Maison.
Retrograde displays first appeared at Vacheron Constantin in the 1920s in pocket watches, such as the historic Bras en l’air pocket watches from the 1930s. It was not until 1940 that the Manufacture produced its first wristwatch with a retrograde date display combined with a minute repeater, named after the man who commissioned it in 1935: the Don Pancho. In the early 1990s, Vacheron Constantin revisited this distinctive complication in several wristwatches, such as the Mercator in 1994 and later the Saltarello in 1997. In 2023, the retrograde display became an overarching feature with no fewer than three new models in three different collections: Overseas, Patrimony and Traditionnelle.
The Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time draws on this heritage for the Maison’s grand anniversary and develops it in a way that fundamentally rethinks the concept of the retrograde display. Instead of traditional hands, the hours and minutes are indicated by the arms of a human figure moving across two arched dials. The technical sophistication of this display lies in the ability to choose between two modes: active mode for continuous time display and standby mode, in which the figure remains in its neutral position. This innovative dual-mode system was inspired by the experience gained with the monumental automaton watch La Quête du Temps, in which the complex and energy-intensive movements of the automaton can only be activated on demand. The Manufacture has transferred the technical solution to this challenge, developed for the automaton movement, to a miniaturised version on the wrist. Both creations demonstrate the strategic vision behind Vacheron Constantin’s philosophy of innovation: every creation, whether an art installation or a wristwatch, serves as a platform for technological advancement, the achievements of which can then be applied across the entire collection.
The Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time is powered by the new hand-wound calibre 3670, developed specifically for this model. This movement is the result of three years of development and consists of 512 components. A remarkable technical feature of the calibre is the combination of a high frequency of 5 hertz (36,000 vibrations per hour) and a long power reserve of six days, made possible by the use of three barrels. A high frequency minimises the effects of shocks on accuracy, while a long power reserve increases reliability.
The development of the calibre 3670 was largely inspired by the calibre 3610 for the 2019 Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar. The dual-mode display of the calibre 3670 is designed to transfer the on-demand principle of the vending machine to watchmaking. The functionality of this calibre is protected by four patent applications.
Among others, these patents include:
The human figure in the Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time, whose arms serve as hands, is made of titanium and then finished with a gold-coloured PVD coating, sandblasting and a hand-applied patina. This choice of material and processing technique enabled a more delicate and lighter design of the figure, which is crucial for the retrograde mechanism of a wristwatch. The 3D titanium moon was also hand-engraved and given a two-tone PVD coating to realistically replicate the interplay of the moon phases.
A central element of the watch is the star chart on the dial, which recreates the exact sky above Geneva on the day the Manufacture was founded, 17 September 1755. Thanks to a collaboration with astronomers from the Geneva Observatory, a precise reconstruction was made possible. This attention to detail transforms the dial into a historical artefact that physically represents the brand’s past on the wrist.
The finishing touches to the movement are also worth mentioning here. Although most of the components remain hidden after assembly, all 512 parts of the Calibre 3670 are finished by hand. The manufacturer opted for circular satin finishing on the bridges instead of the traditional Côtes de Genève pattern in order to minimise reflections from the transparent sapphire crystal dial and optimise readability.
As the crowning glory of its 270th anniversary, Vacheron Constantin presents a monumental masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of watchmaking: La Quête du Temps. This object, over a metre tall, is not a traditional watch, but a Mécanique d’Art that combines the worlds of fine watchmaking, decorative craftsmanship and kinetic art in a single, fascinating work, currently on display at the Louvre in Paris.
The upper dome, made from a single piece of mineral glass, houses the ‘Astronomer’ automaton. The inside of the dome is hand-painted with a representation of the northern starry sky, as it appeared over Geneva on the day the Manufacture was founded in 1755. This collaboration with astronomers from the Geneva Observatory to accurately reconstruct the celestial vault illustrates the meticulous attention to detail that the Manufacture brings to bear in order to scientifically substantiate its narrative. The middle section forms the link, a double-sided astronomical clock that connects the universal rhythms of the cosmos with human engineering.
Developed in close collaboration with master automaton maker François Junod, the figure performs a choreography consisting of 144 different gestures. These movements are controlled by a carousel with 158 cams, which receive their information precisely from a mechanical time memory. This innovative complication, in which the automaton communicates directly with the movement, demonstrates a pioneering achievement in the art of watchmaking.
The automaton’s choreography is divided into three sequences that can be programmed on demand or up to 24 hours in advance. The movements are accompanied by melodies specially composed by Woodkid, which are generated by an internal ‘mechanical music machine’. The challenge was to make the automaton’s movements appear smooth and natural. The fact that each of the 144 gestures is assigned its own cam ensures that the movements are never monotonous, even if there are only a few minutes between activations. This underlines the tireless pursuit of perfection in every detail, no matter how small.
The movement of La Quête du Temps, the hand-wound calibre 9270, is equipped with 23 complications. 15 patent applications for the entire project, covering both horological and automaton functions, underline the movement’s complexity. Each of the 6,293 individual parts has been finished with the utmost precision.
The movement combines a wide range of craftsmanship, including:
The final section of the exhibition is dedicated to the world of complications and highlights the mechanical achievements that have made Vacheron Constantin famous. Since the 19th century, Vacheron Constantin has built up a unique expertise in the development of ultra-thin calibres. The quest for thinness was not only a technical race, but also enabled the creation of watches whose minimalist and classic aesthetics remained timeless, such as the Patrimony collection. A highlight of these efforts was the hand-wound calibre 1003, introduced in 1955 to celebrate the company’s 200th anniversary. With a height of only 1.64 mm, it became the world’s thinnest mechanical hand-wound movement. To this day, it is considered one of the most elegant and elaborately crafted flat movements.
Throughout its history, the Manufacture has explored a range of horological complications. These include the first World Time hand from 1932, developed in collaboration with Louis Cottier, and the Twin Beat watch from 2019, which offers a power reserve of 65 days with its two selectable oscillators. The astronomical Celestia Grand Complication 3600 from 2017, with 23 complications and a three-week power reserve, represents another milestone in the company’s history.
The exhibition features two significant pocket watches from the early 20th century: a triple complication pocket watch from 1905, with perpetual calendar, striking mechanism and chronograph function, and a pocket watch with chronograph function and striking mechanism, set in an elaborately chiselled 20-carat gold case and made in 1918 for the American industrialist James Ward Packard. According to data from the archives, the first pocket watches with striking mechanisms were built by Vacheron Constantin as early as 1806.
To mark its 270th anniversary, Vacheron Constantin has unveiled a trio of Traditionnelle Openface watches that combine the brand’s historic retrograde display with a modern, transparent design. The philosophy behind ‘Openface’ deliberately differs from traditional skeletonisation. Instead of minimising material, the open dial reveals the complexity and inner beauty of the movement while preserving its architectural structure.
The new trio includes the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface, the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date Openface and the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface, all of them equipped with new calibres. The Perpetual Calendar model, for example, is powered by the new calibre 2460 QPR31/270, which offers a perpetual calendar as well as a retrograde date display. The craftsmanship is also evident in these watches: the dials are decorated with a hand-guilloché Maltese cross pattern, and the bridges of the movement feature a ‘côte unique’ finish – a historical decoration technique that has been rediscovered and applied by the manufacture.
The exhibition also features Les Cabinotiers – The Berkley Grand Complication, celebrated as the most complicated watch in the world in 2024. With its 63 horological complications and the first mechanical Chinese perpetual calendar, it surpassed the record set by its own Reference 57260 in 2015.
As the ultimate testament to its philosophy of achieving the seemingly impossible, Vacheron Constantin also unveiled the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication this year. This masterpiece does not replace the Berkley Grand Complication, but establishes a new category: with 41 complications, it is the most complicated wristwatch in the world. Within just a few years, the manufacturer has thus set the record for both the most complicated pocket watch and the most complicated wristwatch.
Despite its complexity, the Solaria is surprisingly wearable, with a diameter of 45 mm and a height of 14.99 mm. Its focus is on exotic astronomical complications, including an unprecedented complication on the caseback which, in conjunction with the split-seconds chronograph, displays the position of celestial bodies in the night sky. The new hand-wound calibre 3655, with 1,521 components and a 72-hour power reserve, demonstrates Vacheron Constantin’s continuous exploration of new technical frontiers. In addition to the complex astronomical displays, the watch features a Westminster carillon striking mechanism with four gongs and hammers, a split-seconds chronograph and a number of other complications.
The Quest exhibition is more than just a retrospective. It is living proof of Vacheron Constantin’s philosophy: the pursuit of excellence is a never-ending journey. After having experienced the whole exhibition, only one question remains: how can all of this be surpassed in the coming decades? Yet, watchmakers have surprised us time and again over the last few centuries.
The exhibition ‘The Quest: 270 years of seeking excellence’ is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m until 28 September and takes place at the Pont de la Machine in Geneva.
