NEW YORK—The establishment of a premier luxury brand takes a fair level of creativity, care, and craftsmanship. The element of time also comes into play as well, for one needs patience for the brand to evolve into all that it symbolizes and reflect all the principles it exemplifies.
Time most certainly cemented these elements in Vacheron Constantin, named for its founder Jean Marc Vacheron and his partner Francois Constantin.
A brand well known among the world’s elite from emperors, popes, to presidents, Vacheron Constantin, the oldest watchmaker in the world in continuous activity since it was founded in 1755. It has not only withstood the test of time, but also crafts luxury watches made to last through time.
With the opening of the company’s first U.S. boutique in September in Manhattan, following 15 other boutiques in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, longevity is ensured.
Vacheron Constantin CEO Juan Carlos Torres emphasizes the boutique’s significance symbolically and more notably in its service to its clientele.
“It’s not only important to have a boutique where you pick up the package, but also something else—that when you enter the boutique, you feel more than at home.”
Torres highlights the Vacheron Constantin boutique experience, paralleling the likes of Apple and Nespresso. These companies cater to the customer by providing a full-fledged experience through the retail side, constantly emphasizing the major elements incorporated into their brands.
The brand now recognized particularly for luxury and craftsmanship is still a rarity—you won’t see it just anywhere. The owners seem to be the elite of the elite, among them: Napoleon Bonaparte, Pope Pius XI, the Duke of Windsor, and Harry Truman, according to its web site.
The very fact that it is exclusive, added to the uniqueness of its design, gives a legendary quality to the brand.
The major elements of Vacheron Constantin watch craftsmanship are enameling, engraving, gem setting, and particularly the craft of guilloche. Guilloche is a decorative engraving technique providing an intricate pattern or design mechanically engraved in the metal with fine detail.
For Vacheron Constantin, this craftsmanship is far more art than science, and for anyone who owns this brand of watch, it is certainly clear why.
Vacheron Constantin’s newly opened New York Boutique is located at 722 Madison and 64th street at the southeast corner.
