A typically Parisian address for a contemporary and immersive experience
Just a few steps from Place Vendôme, the new two-storey space showcases the Maison's expertise, its history and its artistic and cultural sensibility.
Incorporating noble materials, warm colours and French decorative arts – including stained-glass windows and straw marquetry – the interiors have been designed in a spirit of conviviality, whether in the Parisian brasserie-style space on the ground floor or upstairs, where privileged visitors are welcomed in the intimate lounges or private dining room. The staircase evokes the form of the Maltese Cross, Vacheron Constantin's emblem since 1880, which was inspired by the shape of a component of early watch movements dedicated to the enhanced isochronism of the mainspring.
The façade of the boutique has been transformed to create a contemporary allure defined by transparency and light. The ground floor is dedicated to the Maison's latest references and classic collections. At the entrance, there is a Chronogramme, a fun, interactive device with a giant touch screen that allows them to navigate through the Maison's archives. A wall displays the range of finishes that are patiently applied by hand to each of the Maison's calibres. A watchmaker is permanently on hand, encouraging deeper discussion of the subtleties of fine watchmaking in addition to his role in the maintenance, repair and servicing of Vacheron Constantin watches.
France: the Maison's first international venture
France was the first market in which Vacheron Constantin chose to open a representation in 1810. This marked the beginning of a commercial adventure that quickly led it to all the major watchmaking markets on the planet.
Later, the Maison would develop a fruitful collaboration with Ferdinand Verger and his sons in the creation of numerous watchmaking and jewellery pieces that made Vacheron Constantin famous in the Paris of the Roaring Twenties and after the Second World War.
In June 1972, the French government awarded the Diplôme du Prestige de la France to Vacheron Constantin – the first watchmaker to receive the honour. As a tribute to this distinction, the Maison created a wristwatch with an oval movement housed in an asymmetrical quadrilateral case – a bold design that heralded the creative emancipation characteristic of the 1970s and is now highly appreciated by collectors.