Vacheron Constantin Poinçon de Genève Evolution

A photo:


Do you notice anything different about the case back of this Patrimony Contemporaine, reference 81180, below when compared with the one above (from 2006), other than the gold/platinum hallmarks?


Look a little closer:


Vacheron Constantin is very proud of its Genevan heritage, being founded in Geneva in 1755 and remaining there to this day. When becoming a true movement manufacture with the introduction of the calibre 1400 over a decade ago, it has been a strategic imperative of the brand to ensure that all of its manufacture movements meet the requirements of the Poinçon de Genève (The Hallmark Of Geneva), and as of June 2013, Vacheron Constantin has been delivering watches that meet the new requirements issued by Timelab, the independent body that governs the quality standards for earning the hallmark.

These updated standards, issued in 2009 for the 125 anniversary of the Poinçon de Genève, now have criteria governing not just the movement, but also the cased-up watch. There are now four functional tests that the entire cased-up watch must pass.

Test for Precision

Watches must be submitted to ensure that they are accurate to within one minute per week (that is to say, less than 8 sec/day from perfection).

Test for Water Resistance

Any watch to be claimed as water resistant must withstand at least the minimum pressure defined by the regulations (3 bar=30 meters) and the pressure claimed by the brand.

Power reserve

This test ensure that the claims for the power reserve of the watch by the brand are met.

Functional Test

This test ensures that all claimed functions of the watch work correctly (date changes, winding and setting, power reserve display, chronograph operation, etc.)

Previous criteria are still in effect. The watch must be mechanical, the design approved by the Poinçon de Genève technical committee, and also be assembled, adjusted, and cased in the Canton of Geneva. The movement must comply with the 12 technical criteria regarding the design of the movement, production quality, and finishing.

New, however, is an intermediate step that requires that the technical committed of the Poinçon de Genève approve the exterior of the watch, meaning the watch parts connecting the movement to the case fulfill high design, manufacturing, and finish requirements. This ensure that all components of the watch are conceived in conjunction with each other.


Since the finished watches now fulfill the requirements not just for the movement, but also for the entire watch, the hallmark is engraved on the case  of the watch (by the reference number) as well as the movement (ideally on the same bridge as the serial number).


Conclusion

While I have high expectations for Vacheron Constantin regardless of the Poinçon de Genève standards, I also like the fact that Vacheron Constantin has someone looking over their shoulder to ensure that there is no slippage from those high standards. But even more than that, I appreciate that Vacheron Constantin is continuing to uphold a tradition of earning the Poinçon de Genève for its watches, which started in 1901. Just like how many of Vacheron Constantin’s current designs honor the brand’s heritage, so too does the brand’s commitment to the Poinçon de Genève honor that storied past while continuing its commitment to excellence today.

Bill
VC Forum Moderator