"Classics with a Twist" exhibition celebrates Vacheron Constantin's creativity and boldness

Vacheron Constantin will hold an exhibition called "Classics with a Twist," celebrating the brand's creativity and boldness in the early 20th century. The exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of the "American 1921," a watch popular among watch enthusiasts, and features several antique watches with unique shapes. The exhibition will take place at the Vacheron Constantin Boutique Ginza from Tuesday, September 7th to Monday, October 11th, 2021.

Looking back at the era when unique designs were born

　To mark the 100th anniversary of the iconic Historiques Américaine 1921, Vacheron Constantin will host the exhibition "Classiques with a Twist," focusing on the brand's highly creative and bold designs from the early 20th century.

　The theme of this event, "Classic with a Twist" - traditional yet playful - refers to the various shapes and designs used in wristwatches, as well as models that boldly use geometric patterns that originated in the Art Deco style of the 1920s.

　Instead of the typical round shape, they produced a series of unprecedented and unconventional wristwatches, including strict squares, surprising diamond shapes, and elegant cushion shapes. Until the end of the 19th century, wristwatches were thought to be something only women wore, but as the 20th century began, people began to understand the functionality and importance of being able to tell the time, and they began to fascinate men as well.

Square wristwatch Ref. 10242 (1917)
The shift away from traditional round pocket watches in the 1910s was exemplified by square and rectangular wristwatches. These simple yet geometric designs were widely used in industry, art, and architecture. This model, produced in 1917, features an 18K yellow gold square case with a silver dial, perfectly representing the era in which it was created.

Cushion-shaped wristwatch, Reference 11507 (1919)
In the early days of wristwatches, Vacheron Constantin was one of the watch brands that challenged traditional and orthodox design by devising numerous case shapes that were suited to wearing on the wrist. The white enamel dial with Arabic numerals is not much different from a pocket watch, but the curved cushion-shaped case made of 18K yellow gold was designed to be the optimal shape for wearing on the wrist, and is still used by many brands today.

　Alongside this change in design came the development of mechanical movements that could be fitted into unusually shaped cases. The remarkable progress in miniaturization allowed for an astonishing variety of avant-garde designs, greatly expanding the scope of expression: tonneau (barrel-shaped), lozenge (diamond-shaped), rectangular, oval, and other models.

　The models on display in this exhibition capture the exuberant energy of the brand during the heady 1910s to 30s, a period when it created a bold movement, defied tradition and paved the way for all manner of design.

Pointed lozenge wristwatch, Reference 11144 (1919)
Vacheron Constantin created the pointed lozenge style in the early 1910s. The bold shape of the 18K yellow gold bezel extends to the bracelet, highlighting the Arabic numerals curved to match the case. The supple 18K yellow gold bracelet wraps around the wrist like a piece of jewellery.

Curved tonneau wristwatch, Reference 10357 (1922)
At a time when wristwatches were becoming a kind of everyday accessory, similar to jewelry, this model features an 18K yellow gold case with a tonneau shape that blends seamlessly with the bracelet case secured by wire lugs. The grained silver-tone dial features 12 elegant Arabic numerals in black enamel and an outer minute track.

Exhibition "Classics with a Twist"

[Venue] Vacheron Constantin Boutique Ginza Store
[Period] September 7th (Tuesday) to October 11th (Monday), 2021
[Business hours] 10:00-20:00 (no holidays)
[Address] Vacheron Constantin Ginza Boutique
7-8-8 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
[Inquiries] 03-3569-1755