Vacheron Constantin SIHH Accessories & Manufacture

It was just one month ago when I posted about my 2011 year in accessories. Well, having attended SIHH for a few days makes it worth the while to post an addendum!

I was wearing two hats over in Geneva. One was a a passionate collection, and I joined Alex Ghotbi, Vacheron Constantin’s Director or Community and former moderator of this forum, and a crew of Hour Lounge participants (many of whom also participate here) for a dinner at the Maison and a tour of VC’s Plan-les-Ouates facilities. The other was as a retailer, attending meetings with the brands to see the novelties and to order new watches, or, depending on the brand, getting a spreadsheet telling you this is what you’re going to get.

After the HL dinner we were presented with a nice gift bag that included a beautiful Vacheron Constantin signed Loupe:


and a book, published by Vacheron Constantin in a limited edition of 2000 units, focused on the Caliber 2755, employed in the eponymous Patrimony Traditionnelle model;


This is the must have non-watch item from Vacheron Constantin this year. The photos, taken by industry photographer Denis Hayoun (you probably don’t know his name you have certainly seen his work) are excellent, and many parts of the movement are shown that cannot be seen either from the under dial or case back views of the watch. There are many photos that compare/contrast an unfinished part with a finished one, and the text is clear and concise.

At Plan-les-Ouates we visited the workshops, seeing the watchmakers at work and then had time to either disassemble and reassemble a pocket watch movement or try our hand at various finishing processes (I am hoping that JB will post his photos of this latter activity). I choose the former, and for my work I received a certificate:


Unknown to those working beside me, who were engrossed in their activities, I had busted the pinion of the escape wheel, and seeing a lathe on display, proceeded to create a new one:


These things are small! Good thing I had that loupe!


and of course I had to polish the teeth so that no one would know that I had replaced a part:


I then finished reassembling the movement and moved on to the convention center where the brands were showing their novelties. ;-)

I broke away from the Hour Lounge group to take photographs of the novelties and then joined in on retailer meetings. The meeting table at Vacheron Constantin included those irresistible dark and milk chocolate truffles with Maltese Cross decoration on top.

The gift bag for retailers included an catalog of the novelties for 2012:


and this neat pen and note paper set:


This balloint pen is not nearly as nice as the special writing instrument that Montblanc makes for Vacheron Constantin, but it is a cool thing to have regardless.

Many thanks for Vacheron Constantin and the Hour Lounge for wonderful hospitality in Geneva.

Bill Lind
VC Forum Moderator