Christian Selmoni, Vacheron Constantin Heritage & Style Director, Geneva, Switzerland
Roger Michel, Institute for Digital Archaeology Executive Director, Oxford, United Kingdom
January 6, 2021
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For the first Horological Society of New York lecture of 2021, members were presented with a comprehensive presentation of Vacheron Constantin from Christopher Selmoni, Heritage & Style Director of Vacheron Constantin in Geneva Switzerland, and Roger Michel from the Institute for Digital Archaeology, Executive Director in Oxford, United Kingdom.
The lecture highlighted the chronology (provided by Selmoni) and the impressive historical context (provided by Michel) of the Vacheron Constantin brand.
1700s
1755: The origins of Vacheron Constantin and the significance of the lever escapement by Thomas Mudge
1800s
1806: First chiming watches
1812: Ladies quarter repeater
1817: First commercial exchange with USA
1822: Development of decorative crafts
1827: First Grand Sonnerie
1839: The Pantograph for calibers — Georges Auguste Leschot (1800 - 1884)
1846: Experiments in the field of protection against magnetism
1862: Research and development in the field of non-magnetic materials
1880: The iconic Maltese cross design
1885: Balance wheel, hairspring, anchor and anchor wheel in palladium and bronze
1889: Presentation of the first known Vacheron Constantin wristwatch at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 in Paris
1900s
1904: Early Aviator’s Watch
1912: Early Tonneau shape wristwatch demonstrated the creativity and daring with shapes
1918: Collaboration with the US Corp of Engineers and the bespoke pocket watch of James W. Packard
1921: Samuel Parkes Cadman - the owner of two Historiques American 1921
1925: Partnership with Verger Freres in Paris and the influence of Japanese design on the Art Deco timekeepers
1928: The Henry Graves Tourbillon Chronometer and The Boisrouvray
1929: The King Fouad timepiece presented as a gift to King Fouad I of Egypt
1932: The first ‘Cottier’ World Time system and the introduction of the Platinum Ultra-Thin Pocket Watch
1936 - 1940: The ‘Don Pancho’ Story — Grand complication wristwatch with minute repeater and 31-days retrograde calendar
1938: Measured the water speed record via the contraleague electric module with a mechanical timing machine and the collaboration with Alcan to create the Aluminium Pocket Watch Ref. 4348
1940s: Introduced experimental designs such as the influence of aerodynamics
1944: Deck watch aboard The HMS Belfast and D-Day
1946: The King Farouk timepiece (created in 1937) was a major grand complication with 820 components and 13 hands
1950s: ‘The Future is Now!’ was exemplified by the Butterfly timepiece
1955: Vacheron Constantin celebrates 200 years
1972: Debut of the Trapeze model and its variations
1975: The Reference 2215 in Steel
1977: The ‘222’ Collection designed by Jörg Hysek
1979: ‘Kallista’ 140 Carats wristwatch
HSNY thanks Christian Selmoni and Roger Michel for their fascinating lecture!
Submitted by Melody Benloss, Recording Secretary & Associate Librarian