Vacheron Constantin: The ultra-thin heritage

Vacheron Constantin has chosen today to revive some of the finest moments in the quest for ultra-thinness. The brand is enriching its “Historiques” collection with two new creations directly inspired by its heritage, each lending a new and distinctively modern touch to one of two legendary calibres.

“Historique Ultra-fine 1955”
currently the world’s thinnest mechanical hand-wound watch
measuring just 4.10 mm thick

It is equipped with the mechanical hand-wound 1003 movement
the thinnest in the world at just 1.64 mm thick
rebuilt in 2010 – for its 55th anniversary – in 18-carat gold, and bearing the Hallmark of Geneva




“Historique Ultra-fine 1968”
equipped with the ultra-thin mechanical self-winding 1120 movement
featuring a new decorated oscillating weight, and bearing the Hallmark of Geneva

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“Historiques” collection

Calibre 1003 for the “Historique Ultra-fine 1955” watch

For Vacheron Constantin, celebrating the 55th anniversary of the birth of the ultra-thin Calibre 1003 provides an opportunity to revisit its heritage.

Considered to be one of the most beautiful and refined ultra-thin movements on the market, Calibre 1003 has been defying mechanical laws for over 50 years. It is extremely complex to produce and its adjustment calls upon the full measure of expertise cultivated by a fine watch manufacturer.


The decoration is extremely meticulous: Côtes de Genève, bevelling and chamfering, and drawing the steel parts with a file are all performed by hand. This exceptional degree of finishing earns the new version of Calibre 1003 the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva, an independent and sovereign certification awarded by the State of Geneva which thereby guarantees the origin, precision, durability and fine craftsmanship of models from a handful of Geneva-based watch companies.

For its 2010 re-edition, Calibre 1003 is presented in a round watch in 4N 18-carat pink gold measuring 36 mm in diameter, inspired by one of the three historical models introduced in 1955, reference 6099. The latter has been selected because of a design that already embodied a decidedly modern touch at the time of its launch.

 Reference  
Historique Ultra-fine 1955
33155/000R-9588

The World’s thinnest mechanical hand-wound watch
measuring just 4.10 mm thick to date
  
Movement  
1003
Rebuilt in 18-carat gold for its 55th anniversary in 2010
Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin
Stamped with the Hallmark of Geneva
Mechanical, manual-winding
The thinnest in the world at just 1.64 mm thick
  
Thickness of movement  
1.64 mm

Diameter of movement  
20.80 mm

Jewels  
18 jewels

Frequency
18'000 vibrations/hour

Indications  
Hours, minutes
  
Power reserve
More than 30 hours

Case  
18 carat 4N rose gold
Diameter: 36.00 mm. Thickness: 4.1 mm
      
Water resistance  
3 bar, equivalent to 30 meters
  
Dial    18 carat gold, silvered opaline
Mirror-polished Maltese Cross and indexes
      
Strap  
Black hand-stitched, saddle-finished
Square-shape scales alligator leather.
  
Clasp  
Buckle in 18 carat 4N rose gold, polished half Maltese Cross

“ Historiques” collection

The “Historique Ultra-fine 1968” watch and Calibre 1120

Vacheron Constantin has chosen to make 2010 a tribute year to its ultra-thin timepieces by reissuing, again within its “Historiques” collection, a square-shaped model dating from 1968 and equipped with the famous ultra-thin self-winding Calibre 1120.

In revisiting this watch, the Manufacture has adopted an extremely distinctive style: that of the 1960s. This 4N 18-carat rose gold timepiece creates a striking contrast between the strict square dial opening and the slightly curving case flanks.

Compared to the original 1968 watch (reference 7614), the watch now presented features updated technical characteristics in tune with modern times: water resistance to 3 bar, equivalent to around 30 metres; a sapphire crystal, and a clipped-down solid case-back exactly like the original model.

Despite such improvements, which generally tend to increase bulk, this watch measuring 35.2 mm along its sides is even thinner than its historical predecessor: 5.5 mm compared with 6.52 mm, making it one of the thinnest watches in its category.


Like the 1968 model, the contemporary version is equipped with the ultra-thin self-winding Calibre 1120. This exceptional movement driving hour and minute hands has powered some of the most prestigious ultra-thin self-winding watches in horological history.

Vacheron Constantin has chosen in 2010 re-issue two ultra-thin watches that have made their mark on its history, duly christened “Historique Ultra-fine 1955” and “Historique Ultra-fine 1968”.

Reference
Historique Ultra-fine 1968
43043/000R-9592
       
Movement   
1120, Vacheron Constantin
Stamped with the Hallmark of Geneva
Energy    Mechanical, self-winding

Height of movement   
2.45 mm

Diameter of movement   
28.00 mm

Jewels   
36 jewels

Frequency   
19'800 vibrations/hour

Indications   
Hours, minutes
   
Power reserve   
More than 40 hours

Case   
18 carat 4N rose gold
Square-shaped 35.2 x 35.2 mm, thickness: 5.5 mm
       
Water resistance   
3 bar, equivalent to 30 meters
   
Dial   
Silvered, 18 carat black finished indexes
Mirror-polished Maltese Cross
       
Strap   
Black hand-stitched, saddle-finished
Square-shape scales alligator leather.
   
Clasp   
Buckle in 18 carat 4N rose gold
Polished half Maltese Cross














[Vacheron Constantin Press Release]

Silvio Berlusconi's Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar Wristwatch

(Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar)

The most expensive watch worth US$540,000 Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar, worn by Italian Prime Minister and mega-wealthy industrialist Silvio Berlusconi. This Vacheron Constantin watch is worth over five hundred thousand dollars.

The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar was produced from 1946 through 2006. The discontinuance was a good strike news to those collectors fortunate enough to own one. This watch is in platinum, with the Vacheron Constantin reference number 30020/000P/7596.

It features a platinum case, with Vacheron’s familiar flared lugs. Its front crystal is a sapphire one while the back crystal one is made of acrylic permitting the repeater tone to sound more purely and louder. Case dimensions: 37mm diameter by 10.5mm thick.

Dial is silver with applied hour markers and sunken subdials. The following calendar information is shown: day, date, month, leap year, moonphase and age of the moon.

Its movement: the manual winding Vacheron Constantin Caliber 1755 with 30 jewels and adjusted to five positions and temperature. The construction of this movement and its finishing are extremely beautiful. The repeater hammer and gongs can be seen at work, when the repeater is activated.

Silvio Berlusconi was born in September 29^th, 1936. He is an Italian politician, the current Prime Minister of Italy as well as a billionaire entrepreneur. He is the longest-serving Prime Minister of Italy, a position he has held on three separate occasions: from 1994 to 1995, from 2001 to 2006 and currently since 2008. He is the leader of the People of Freedom political movement, a centre-right party he founded in 2009. As of November 2009, he is the longest-serving current leader of a G8 country.







[Vacheron Constantine Home Page]
[Interwatches' Vacheron Constantine' Gallery]

Vacheron Constantin wins Watch of the Year Prize for its ‘Historiques American 1921’ wristwatch model

Geneva, Thursday October 29th 2009 – Just two years after being awarded the 2007 Watch of the Year Prize (for the Patrimony Contemporary Retrograde Date and Day model), Vacheron Constantin once again takes the top spot on the winner’s podium with the 2009 Watch of the Year Prize, this time for its ‘Historiques American 1921’ model.

Born of a determination to highlight the wealth of our heritage, its design is inspired by an avant-garde cushion-shaped wristwatch featuring a crown at 1 o’clock, created for the crown in response to the wishes of an American client in during the Roaring Twenties. It blends creativity embodied in the daring style of the 1920s, with rigorous technical sophistication expressed through the new mechanical manual-winding Manufacture 4400 movement bearing the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva to which we are firmly committed.”



‘Historiques American 1921’

Born of a determination to highlight the wealth of the Vacheron Constantin heritage, the ‘Historiques’ line is intended to revive models symbolising the spirit and expertise of the brand through contemporary contemporary reinterpretations.

After presenting the reinterpreted Chronomètre Royal 1907 on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, in 2008 Vacheron Constantin presented the ‘Historiques American 1921’, a piece inspired by an avant-garde cushion-shaped wristwatch featuring a crown placed at 1 o’clock and confidentially produced for an American client during the Roaring Twenties. In keeping with the spirit of that era, Vacheron Constantin has once again returns to creative roots by combining inventive design with rigorous respect for history in this eloquent tribute to the 1920s.

Radiating classic and understated elegance as well as genuine originality, this ultimate ‘dandy-style’ watch faithfully echoes the original with a 40 mm-diameter cushion-shaped case crafted in 18-carat pink gold and distinguished by diagonal time read-off and a crown positioned at 1 o’clock. The sandblasted dial is graced with 12 painted black Arabic numerals arranged around an equally black-painted railway track minute circle. The hands are in black oxidised 18-carat gold. Topped by a slightly convex sapphire crystal, the case is fitted with a transparent back enabling one to admire the exceptional finishing of the mechanical manual-winding Calibre 4400, developed and crafted in-house by Vacheron Constantin and bearing the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva. Beating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, it measures 28 mm in diameter, 2.8 mm thick, and is endowed with an approximately 65-hour power reserve. This new model is water-resistant to pressures of 3 bar – equivalent to 30 metres – and is teamed with a hand-sewn saddle-stitched strap in dark brown alligator leather fitted with an 18-carat pink gold pin buckle shaped like a half Maltese Cross.

Produced in limited quantities, the ‘Historiques American 1921’ is bound to delight connoisseurs and devotees of classic and daring fine watchmaking who are looking for distinctive timepieces and whose horological curiosity naturally draws them to its timeless aesthetic and functional qualities.














[Source: Vacheron Constantin International – Press Communication]

Vacheron Constantin timepiece owned by Marlon Brando will be auctioned by Antiquorum

(Zsa Zsa Gabor and Maron Brando)

New York, NY – 24th septembre, 2009 - For more than 250 years, the favorite timepiece of discerning royalty and celebrities alike has been Vacheron Constantin, as an object of stature, superiority, and pure elegance. In 1954, renowned actress Zsa Zsa Gabor chose a Vacheron Constantin timepiece as a special gift for actor Marlon Brando to commemorate the release of “On the Waterfront” for which Brando won an Oscar.

Its case back engraved “To Marlon Love Zsa Zsa June 24, 1954,” the timepiece sold at The Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, Pocket Watches & Clocks auction held by Antiquorum on September 17th in New York for six times its estimated value. The 18K yellow gold wristwatch sold for a final price of $18,000 to an unknown buyer.





Vacheron Constantin timepieces are hand-crafted works of mechanical wizardry that can take months – even years - to realize. With excellence evident in every aspect of these timepieces’ aesthetic design, Vacheron Constantin has distinguished itself as the timepiece of discerning distinction adored by today’s Hollywood royalty. As the world’s oldest watch manufacture, Vacheron Constantin and its timepieces have proven to be among the most sought-after items on the market, both as genuine masterpieces of horology and as value-generating investments.













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King Alexander I of Yugoslavia's Vacheron Constantine

Alexander I Karagjordgevic of the Royal House of Karagjordgevic, was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1929 – 1934) as well as the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (1921–29).

Alexander was born in Cetinje in Montenegro in December 1988 as the second son of Prince Pietro Karagjordgevic , the later to become King Peter I of Serbia and also of Zorka of Montenegro.

Even though he was not the first in line for the throne, his elder brother, Crown Prince George, was considered unstable by most political forces in Serbia and after two notable scandals (one of which occurred in 1909 when he kicked his servant, who consequently died), Prince George was forced to renounce his claim to the throne. So, Alexander, became heir to the throne in 1909. On 8 June 1922, he married to Princess Mary of Romania, the daughter of King Ferdinand of Romania.

Alexander I Karagjordgevic

Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 412770, case No 256398. Made in 1931.

Three members of his family died on a Tuesday, so Alexander refused to undertake any public functions on that day, But, on Tuesday 9 October 1934 having no choice while arriving in Marseille for a state visit to the Third French Republic, together with the French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou, a man in the crowd shot the King, the Minister and the chauffeur. This was the first assassination captured on film.

After Alexander’s assassination, as his son Peter II was still a minor, Peter’s uncle Pavle Karagjoordgevic took the regency of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia until Peter reached adulthood. Peter was to become the last King of Yugoslavia, fleeing to London in 1941 when the Nazis attacked and occupied his country.

Alexander I Karagjordgevic

Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 412770, case No 256398. Made in 1931.
18K white and yellow gold jump hour, wandering minute keyless Art Deco presentation dress watch with enamel coat of arms for Alexander I Karagjordgevic.














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NEW: Vacheron Constantin ONLY WATCH 2009

On the occasion of ONLY WATCH 2009,
organised on behalf of the Monegasque Association against Muscular Dystrophy,
Vacheron Constantin makes its first-ever introduction of a watch made from tantalum.

This one-of-kind Quai de l’Ile model,
testifying to the latest technological breakthroughs from the Geneva-based manufacturer,
will be presented at the charity auction to be held in Monaco on September 24th 2009.


In a fascinating new sequel to the official launch of the new Quai de l’Ile collection in Geneva at the April 2008 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, Vacheron Constantin now presents the first-ever one-of-a-kind Quai de l’Ile model. Dedicated to the ONLY WATCH 2009 charity auction that will take place in Monaco on September 24th, this unique watch features a tantalum case also representing a major first in the history of the Geneva-based manufacturer.

Technical details

Vacheron Constantin Quai de l’Ile
Only Watch 2009 one-of-a-kind creation
Date: self-winding
Reference: 86050/000M9560


CASE
Material: tantalum, 950 palladium
Dimensions: 41.00 x 50.50 mm, 12.90 mm thick
Strap width: 23.00 mm
Shape and construction: cambered rectangle, modular construction
Back: transparent, sapphire crystal, screwed-down
Finishing: satin-brushed
Crystal: sapphire with anti-reflective coating on under side, convex
Water resistance: 3 Atm, equivalent to a depth of 30 meters

DIAL AND HANDS
Dial material: sapphire crystal
Finishing: sapphire crystal; galvanic growth of nickel, metallization, laser engraving and inking
Hours : 3,6,9 and 12: galvanic growth of nickel, rhodium layer
1,2,4,5,7,8,10 and 11: engraving and black or white engraving
Material and type of hands: hours and minutes: satin-finished 18K white gold with white luminescent material;
seconds: satin-brushed pfinodal

MOVEMENT
Reference 2460H410QH, Hallmark of Geneva
Rhodiumed snail-shaped outer ring
Energy: mechanical, self-winding
Diameter and thickness: 25.60 mm , 5.70 mm
Number of jewels: 27
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations / hour (4Hz)
Power reserve: approximately 43 hours
Indications: central hour, minute and seconds hands
Additional functions: date disc featuring optimal readability

OTHER ELEMENTS
Strap: black hand-stitched, saddle-finish, square-scaled, ultra-shiny alligator leather
Delivered with an additional strap in black vulcanised rubber
Clasp: palladium triple-blade folding clasp with polished half Maltese cross.












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NEW: Vacheron Constantin Malte Moon Phase and Power-Reserve

Five different finishes for an ultra-sophisticated new dial: the Manufacture Vacheron Constantin once again demonstrates its superlative mastery of the watchmaking art with its new Malte Moon Phase and Power-Reserve model.

The Malte Moon Phase and Power-Reserve is available with a case in 18-carat white gold or 5N pink gold. The satin-brushed case-back is secured by screws. The dial is protected by a glareproofed cambered sapphire crystal. Naturally guaranteed water-resistant to a depth of 30 metres, this timepiece is fitted with a square-scale alligator-leather strap in black for the white gold model and chestnut brown for the rose gold model – both equipped with a gold folding clasp matching the case colour.

Technical Data

References Malte moon phase and power-reserve

83080/000G-9408 et 83080/000R-9407

Movement 1410, developed and produced Vacheron Constantin

Stamped with the Hallmark of Geneva

Energy Mechanical, manual-winding

Height of movement 4.2 mm

Diameter of movement 26.00 mm

Jewels 22 rubies

Frequency 28'800 vibrations/hours

Indications Hours, minutes

Small seconds at 6 o’clock

Precision moon phase

Power-reserve

Power-reserve Approx. 40 hours

Case 18 K white or 5N pink gold

39 mm x 49 mm tonneau shape

Water-resistance 3 bar, equivalent to 30 meters

Dial 18 K white or 5N pink gold

Silvered, « Clou de Paris » hand-guilloché interior zone

Vertical satin finished exterior zone

Applied Maltese cross in 18K white gold or 5N pink gold

Strap Black or brown hand-stitched, saddle-finish, square-scaled alligator leather

Clasp 18K white or 5N pink gold folding clasp, polished half Maltese cross

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NEW Vacheron Constantin Collection: The Métiers d'Art "Les Masques"

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Vacheron Constantin: The Collection Métiers d'Art "Les Masques"

Two things convinced Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller of the project's, its beauty and significance as he and the Vacheron Constantin team headed by Juan-Carlos Torres were able to share their common passion for beautiful objects and also the manufacture's philosophy.

Twelve masks were selected from the Barbier-Mueller collection for small-scale reproduction in gold. They repose at the centre of each timepiece in a collection that extends over two thousand years and also four continents.

As Vacheron Constantin understands perfectly well the value of time, the company respected patiently the time needed to create such exceptional pieces. They took plenty of time for questioning, reflection and invention so as to assure themselves that the spirit of this special tribute to ancient societies.

A complete set of the twelve timepieces reproducing the twelve masks - from the limited edition of 300 exceptional timepieces - is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, an exhibition sponsored by Vacheron Constantin and called "A Legacy of Collecting: African and Oceanic Art from the Barbier-Mueller Museum, Geneva" in tribute to Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller.

According to these unique timepieces, each wristwatch is equipped with an automatic Calibre 2460G4 movement, manufactured by Poinçon de Genève, through which time can be read without any hands (by means of a set of wheels and gears, four discs indicate the hours, minutes, day and date in windows) leaving in the centre of the dial the masks as the central attraction remaining as sculptures, as silent guardians of ancestral secrets.

Michel Butor's was the one who gave voice to the masks through magnificent short poems in prose dedicated to each mask. The writer's lines rise as mysterious messages that can only be read when the light strikes it from a certain angle. This effect was achieved by vacuum metallization, a sophisticated technological process in which the gold letters are sprayed onto a sapphire crystal.




OCEANIA – INDONESIA















Facial Mask

Island of Lombok, Sasak people
Hard wood, traces of white pigments
Height: 21.5 cm
Former collection of Mathias Komor
Inv. 3320-A

I dance the duration the wait
patience the resistance
to suffering and to evil
the slowness of the days and nights
stammerings recognition
resignation but vigilance
the hasty passage of the months
and the devouring of the months
Michel Butor




ASIA - CHINA
















Zangs-Bag facial Mask
Tibet region, Tantric Buddhism. 16th-17th century
Partially-gilt copper, pigments
Height: 22.2 cm
Inv. 2504-168


With my ornaments I surround
the emptiness opening in your eyes
and in your mouth a third
eye appearing on the forehead
to guide you in your labours
in the labyrinth of your lives
and those of your children
who continue your adventures
Michel Butor



AMERICA – MEXICO















Pendant Mask
State of Guerrero
Mezcala culture (300 – 100 BC)
Basalt
Height: 12.8 cm
Inv. 505-26


At regular intervals
during the dance I come and strike
the heart whose pulse
races at the screams
reverberating off the walls
that protect us from the ghosts
of felines and enemies
who venture onto our land
Michel Butor




AFRICA – GABON















Ngontang Mask
Western Gabon, Fang people
Soft wood covered with white kaolin, specks of crystallisation
Height: 31 cm
Inv. 1019-76



The line of my nose extending
between the eyebrows on my forehead
and on the other side to
my chin across my mouth
is like an arrow fi red
by a bow towards the celestial heights
beyond the clouds
or naturally the bird
into which your soul changes
Michel Butor












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Antiquorum's Important Collector's Wristwatches, Pocket Watches and Clocks Auction, June 27th, 2009 at the Mandarin Oriental (Hong Kong)

Antiquorum announced in Geneva, last June 10^th, its upcoming event: the "Important Collector's Wristwatches, Pocket Watches and Clocks" sale prepared to be celebrated on June 27th, 2009 at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. The auction will feature 479 lots and will bring together a remarkable selection of the finest timepieces by world-renowned watchmakers.

Between the highlights we can find:

Lot 479 / Patek Philippe

Ref. 3974, a 18K yellow gold minute-repeating gentleman's wristwatch with black dial, perpetual calendar, leap year indications and moon phases, estimated between 2,000,000 and 2,700,000 HKD (300,000 and 400,000 Sfr).

Lot 360 / Patek Philippe

Ref. 3450, an 18K yellow gold wristwatch, made in 1982, with perpetual calendar, moon phases and a red dot for the leap year indication, estimated between 1,350,000 and 1,700,000 HKD (200,000 and 250,000 Sfr).

Lot 110 / Horological Machine No.1", No. 15, by Busser & Friends

Tourbillon with 7-Day Power-Reserve Maximilian Busser & Friends, "Horological Machine No.1", Ref. 10.TR41. Made in a limited number, circa 2006. Extremely fine and innovative, oversized, self-winding and manual, water-resistant, 18K pink gold wristwatch in the form of an eight, with four mainspring barrels providing 7-day power-reserve and visible one-minute tourbillon regulator.

Estimate: 400,000 HKD - 550,000 HKD

Lot 272 / Grande and Petite Sonnerie, Minute Repeater - Perpetual Calendar (made in 1997 by Franck Muller)

Caliber 97, Grande et Petite Sonnerie Minute-Repeater, Perpetual Calendar Franck Muller, Geneve, "Grande et Petite Sonnerie, Minute-Repeater - Perpetual Calendar." Made in 1997. Unique, fine and rare, astronomic, grande et petite sonnerie minute-repeating, platinum and diamond-set wristwatch with retrograde perpetual calendar, equation of time, moon phases and 24 hour display.

Estimate: 1,750,000 HKD - 2,500,000 HKD

Lot 173 / Piaget Diamond & Sapphire Rocaille

Diamond & Sapphire Rocaille Piaget, Ref. 3259. Made in the 1960's. Extremely fine, rare and elegant, 18K yellow gold, diamond and sapphire-set lady's bracelet watch with an integral 18K yellow gold, diamond.

Estimate: 60,000 HKD - 87,000 HKD

Lot 290 / Vacheron Constantin Platinum, sapphires and diamonds

Platinum, Sapphires and Diamonds Vacheron & Constantin, movement. Made in 1923. Very fine and rare, sapphire and diamond-set platinum lady's wristwatch.

Estimate: 55,000 HKD - 85,000 HKD

Lot 379 / Mirror Image Pair "Farewell to the Beloved"

Mirror Image Pair - Farewell to the Beloved Swiss, Geneva. Made for the Chinese market circa 1830, and attributed to the Frères Oltramare. Extremely fine and very rare, mirror-image pair of 18K gold and painted on enamel, pearl-set center seconds, musical, quarterrepeating pocket watches playing music on the hour or at will.

Estimate: 900,000 HKD - 1,200,000 HKD

AUCTION
Saturday June 27, 2009
MANDARIN ORIENTAL HONG KONG
2nd Floor, Victoria & Chater Room, 5 Connaught Road,
Central, Hong Kong
Tel. + 852 2522 0111 Fax + 852 2810 6190
Antiquorum Auctioneers (Hong Kong) Ltd.
Suite 1405, 9 Queen's Road, Central, Hong Kong
Tel. + 852 25 22 41 68 Fax. + 852 25 22 41 38

Session 1: lots 1 - 110, at 11 a.m.
Session 2: lots 111 - 479, at 2 p.m.

Korea officially launched Vacheron Constantine's Q uai de I’lle Collection

On May 20, 2009, the Korean market officially launched Quai de l’ile collection in Cine de Chef. The collection was launched through a selective press conference and launcheon in which guests were specially attended during a gala dinner where the Quai de l’ile was introduced as a symbol of the ultimate luxury.

Hosts were welcomed in the main hall where they could encounter Quai de I’ile watches for the first time. They were next guided to the theatre right next door moved by the mystic dial and dynamic design of the Quai de I’ile collection. Mr, Yann Bouilonnec, Asia Pacific managing director made a speech to announce the launching of this new collection in Korea market and then all the guests could go through the revolutionary technology. The stunning animation, the understanding of the respected values, the personalization and security made, from the Quai de l’ile collection laucheon, a very fine one in which guests were specially attended.

During dinner glamorous and dazzling models showed the watches walking around tables and letting the guests appreciate the close look of the timepieces being able to try them on as well as configuring their own personalized watches by the simulating programs in the tablet PC.

[Source: Vacheron Constantine Press Release]

Vacheron Constantin Quai de l’Ile Collection

January 8, 2009, Hong Kong- Vacheron Constantin hosted an exclusive gala dinner at the Ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel to celebrate the launch of the Quai de l’Ile collection, a unique dimension in the world of Haute Horlogerie.

In attendance were more than 250 watch enthusiasts and watch journalists from the region, who were invited to share in Vacheron Constantin’s genuine passion in watch-making and experience the innovative personalization service that extends the boundaries in timepiece excellence and exclusivity.

Prior to the gala dinner, guests were attracted by the triptyches in the foyer, a special touch screen device that enables the guests to experience in essence the ultimate luxury provided by the personalisation service of the new collection. With the Quai de l’Ile line and its revolutionary case comprising seven main parts, clients can choose from three metals, three dials and two movement finishings to create timepieces that best represent who they are, in an infinite number of possible combinations.

Stepping into the Ballroom, guests were immersed into a trendy, urban atmosphere that was designed and furnished especially to match the contemporary metropolitan themed Quai de I’lle Collection. Vacheron Constantin created one of the largest indoor video systems seen in Hong Kong for the launch of the new range of models, turning the room into an urban environment that allowed the audiences to travel around the world of Vacheron Constantin and learn more about the diverse experiences depicted by the new collection. The themes of urban, contemporary, stylish, high-tech, security and personalization were woven into a tapestry of moving images to create a conceptual detailed world for the guests to indulge themselves in.

Vacheron Constantin created a large scale innovative content to install a state-of-the-art high resolution video system using 12 high quality video projectors for the images to be displayed through, giving everyone in the room a 270^o view of animation, which surrounded the guests in a beautiful ambience. As the night evolved, the images moved from creative interpretations of Vacheron Constantin to the watches themselves. Sometimes abstract modern art, sometimes real, the images provided a constant, rich visual feast. A moment is taken to celebrate the launch of the new Quai de l’Ile range intended to wow the audience as images appear from within a 3D world demonstrating the innovation of the extraordinary watches of Vacheron Constantin. As the night progressed, the last video of a spectacular night scene brought the audience to the finale.

The multilayered design of the new collection is reflected in the elegant long dining tables, where the detailed graphics of the face and bezel of the watch are printed directly onto several sheets of glass that in turn are stacked to achieve a multilayered effect, mirroring that of the actual timepiece glass. This treatment spectacled the new models in extreme close-up so that the detailing of the various faces and bezel options are showcased in a larger than life fashion, whilst retaining the spirit of the multilayered nature of the piece.

Mr. Marc Guten, International Director of Vacheron Constantin, excited about the launch of the latest collection welcomed all the guests with a warm speech that led to the unveiling ceremony of the new collection, “Vacheron Constantin has always favoured the creation of timepieces with a unique character. It is not by accident that Vacheron Constantin has come to symbolise the ultimate in luxury that is represented by the personalisation of timepieces. It is the spirit and with respect for those values cherished by Vacheron Constantin, and because we have mastered the technology we are able to offer a concept of personalisation. It is my honour to see everyone here tonight to witness the launch of our latest invasion, Quai de l’Ile comes with a security system that is revolutionary. Flouting technical constraints, Vacheron Constantin has pushed the demands of security to their very limits by creating semi-transparent dials that are an innovative combination of the world of watch making and the most sophisticated and secret Security Printing technologies. Quai de l’Ile represents a new and truly pioneering concept in the field of Haute Horlogerie.”

This resolutely contemporary watch offers customers the opportunity to create their own personalized watch by choosing its components from a large selection of options. With the most advanced technology, customers can easily compose and order their own personalized Quai de l’Ile models at designated Vacheron Constantin retail locations worldwide. First, the personalized watch is envisaged and designed by the future buyer with the aid of an interactive tactile screen developed by Vacheron Constantin and a set of material and colour samples. It then enters its production cycle in Geneva and will be delivered within a few weeks, as agreed on beforehand with the client.

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