Special exhibition of vintage women's watches at Vacheron Constantin Ginza boutique

The new Vacheron Constantin collection, "Égérie," launched this year, is a tribute to the common values ​​that unite the two worlds of haute couture and haute horlogerie. In this limited-time pop-up store, the Vacheron Constantin Ginza boutique will be transformed into a space that expresses the world of Égérie, and the watches on display will be a selection from the Maison's privately preserved Heritage Collection, highlighting once again the close relationship with haute couture and proving that the Maison has been committed to creating women's watches for over two centuries.

A special exhibition of carefully selected women's heritage watches

• 
  Ladies' yellow gold and enamel brooch watch with engraved reliefs of diamonds and pounce decoration (1901)
• 
  Women's "belt" watch in yellow gold set with diamonds and rubies (1953)
• 
  Women's "belt" watch in yellow gold set with diamonds and rubies (1953)
• 
  "Surprise" watch in white gold set with 18 cabochon-cut rubies (1929)
• 
  Platinum women's pendant watch set with diamonds and rubies, with a diamond-set chain (1925)
• 
  A gold and platinum women's wristwatch with an all-over gemstone setting and a silver tapestry-style dial (1918)
• 
  Women's "Secret" watch in yellow gold with engraved curved-link bracelet (1946)

/

Ladies' pendant watch in yellow gold and champlevé enamel (1834)

Before women wore watches on their wrists, they enjoyed wearing them as pendants, as is the case of this pendant watch, whose cover is decorated with a floral motif in delicate polychrome champlevé enamel. The caseband is engraved with a floral and leaf motif, while the silver dial is guilloched with a tapestry pattern.

This watch is a testament to the feminine taste of the time for highly decorative jewellery watches, which required in no small part the mastery of artistic craftsmanship that Vacheron Constantin has consistently cultivated.

Engraved yellow gold "Surprise" pocket watch (1928)

The Roaring Twenties fueled people's passion to explore new worlds. Transatlantic shipping became a reality, and exotic destinations became popular. As a result, travel watches, which allowed women to check the time at any time, were worn throughout their travels. These women found favour with the "Surprise" watch, created by Vacheron Constantin with them in mind.

Like this 1928 yellow gold model, they were primarily inspired by the Art Deco style and featured a freewheeling use of techniques such as gemsetting, guilloching, enamel, and geometric engraving.

Women's wristwatch with a diamond-set, engraved tonneau case (1929)
Octagonal white gold women's watch with a lapis lazuli dial and mesh bracelet (1972)

In the 1920s, when Vacheron Constantin incorporated the design codes of the Art Deco movement into its wristwatches, case contours were freed from the round to create ovals, rectangles, squares, and even tonneau shapes, as in this 1929 model. Designed with a special shape known as a "form" (non-round), this platinum high jewelry watch became a signature of Vacheron Constantin's aesthetic design.

The freewheeling 1970s were a formidable breeding ground for Vacheron Constantin's creativity, fueled by timepieces with ever more extraordinary shapes. It was also a time of bold creations, such as this 1972 octagonal watch, with a dial made of hard stone like lapis lazuli, its faceted crystal set with protrusions like a giant diamond. The deep blue dial contrasts beautifully with the white gold case, which is perfectly integrated into the lugs and continues on the polished mesh bracelet.

VACHERON CONSTANTIN'S HERITAGE LADIES EXHIBITION

Vacheron Constantin Boutique Ginza
[Dates] Tuesday, December 15th to Tuesday, December 29th, 2020
[Business hours] Weekdays 13:00-19:00, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 12:00-20:00 (no closing days)
[Location] 7-8-8 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-3569-1755
[Inquiries] 0120-63-1755
*Depending on future circumstances, business hours may change or the store may be temporarily closed.