Vacheron Constantin Opens A New Boutique in ION Orchard & The Sound of Time Exhibit From 8 - 16 Nov

Do check out my post on the gala dinner and exhibition here LINK 

Vacheron Constantin is a great name in haute horlogerie and have made significant pieces in the past and the present. They have also just opened a new boutique at Ion Orchard which you should definitely check out if you are in the area. A lot of good info on the boutique and what it offers in the press release below.

Boutique: #02-07 Ion Orchard
Tel: (65) 6509 8800, Email: boutique-sg.ion@vacheron-constantin.com

An example of a fine striking timepiece from 1994 Squelette minute-repeater in pink gold, hand decorated and engraved movement

On the occasion of the opening, Vacheron Constantin will present the Sound of Time exhibit(From 8 - 16 Nov, Venue: Ion Orchard Level 1 Atrium) dedicated to striking pieces throughout the Maison's history. I am looking forward to attending the exhibit and am glad to share the press release info on the exhibit below. 

Also do check out the cool sound of time app which will educate you on everything you need to know about minute repeaters. the app can be accessed through this page, just scroll down the page a little: LINK

VACHERON CONSTANTIN OPENS A NEW BOUTIQUE IN THE HEART OF SINGAPORE'S MAIN SHOPPING DISTRICT ON ORCHARD ROAD

Vacheron Constantin, the world's oldest Haute Horlogerie Manufacturer with nearly 260 years of uninterrupted history, announces the opening of its new Boutique in ION Orchard.

Situated in one of the city's luxury destination shopping malls, and with more than 2,000 sq. ft. of floor space, this new boutique is set to welcome watch collectors and enthusiasts from around the world. A window into the exceptional universe of Vacheron Constantin, the space has been transformed into a sophisticated emporium dedicated to fine watchmaking.

The boutique's interior design echoes the high level of craftsmanship and finishing embodied in Vacheron Constantin timepieces. The shop front features a beveled, square-shaped glass decoration specially customised for the space. Inside, custom-made Murano glass chandeliers from Italy grace the central area, endowing the ambience with a crystalline quality. Natural oak, Italian marble flooring, walnut veneer and leather showcases create an environment of refined elegance that allures customers to appreciate the culture, history and tradition of excellence that defines Vacheron Constantin.

All of Vacheron Constantin's collection can be purchased from this boutique, including limited editions and exclusive timepieces. Visitors to the new boutique will also witness the world premiere of some exceptional novelties, including Métier d'Art Hommage a l'Art de la Danse and the new Platinum Traditionnelle timepieces.

Also, for the first time in Asia, the ION Orchard boutique will present a selection of the Maison's vintage timepieces known as Vacheron Constantin Collectionneurs. Collectionneurs will be available for purchase, giving collectors another avenue to acquire vintage Vacheron Constantin timepieces. Each Collectionneurstimepiece will be accompanied by a certificate authenticity from the Manufacturer. The exclusive collection may be viewed with the Heritage Room - a VIP area that incorporates contemporary elements into the traditional design through an architectural perspective that reveals the brand's constant search for excellence and aesthetic perfection.

As a demonstration of Vacheron Constantin's dedication to service, an in-house watchmaker will be present at the new boutique. This will not only simplify the after-sales procedure and reduce waiting times for customers, but also enable interaction between the watchmaker and client. The boutique will not only create an exquisite environment to experience the brand's masterful craftsmapship, it will also function as a gathering place for customers, enthusiasts and the public to discover the heritage and transmission of know-how that defines Vacheron Constantin.

The Sound of Time Exhibition 8 - 16 Nov Venue: Ion Orchard Level 1 Atrium 

The Geneva-based Fine Watchmaking manufacturer Vacheron Constantin offers a tuneful and luminous experimental route, "The Sound of Time" exhibition.

To celebrate the opening of the latest Vacheron Constantin boutique in Singapore and to pay tribute to the brand's storied legacy, Vacheron Constantin will showcase its finest striking watches in an exhibition titled 'The Sound of Time' at ION Orchard from 8 - 16 November 2014. The Sound of Time exhibition was first presented at Watches & Wonders 2013 in Hong Kong, before it was unveiled to international press and clients at SIHH2014 in Geneva. This encounter based on the principle of sharing, marks Vacheron Constantin's determination to present a particular facet of its uninterrupted activity since 1755.

A unique journey into Haute Horlogerie

At a very early stage, the Geneva-based manufacturer made a name for itself with exceptional striking timepieces. The founder's grandson Barthélémi Vacheron, was a specialist of repeater watches before taking the reins of the Maison in the early 19th century.

The firm's reputation in making striking watches naturally grew, attracting famous collectors from all over the world to commission their own models. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to discover an 1812 red gold quarter-repeater pocket watch with an enamel dial testifying to this longstanding tradition, along with an 1827 pocket watch with quarter repeater, jumping hours and small seconds. Each of the exhibition showcases will provide an opportunity to take a closer look at the mysteries of a rare horological complication much sought-after by well-known collectors.

The advent of wristwatches in the 20th century led watchmakers to seek ingenious ways to miniaturisng striking mechanisms in order to meet the demands of smaller and slimmer cases. This quest gave rise to spectacular feats of ultimate finesse, such as the 1955 minute repeater model equipped with a calibre measuring less than 3.28 mm thick. Other ultra-thin timepieces housing a number of complications were to follow, each expressing pure and exquisite beauty - as admirably embodied in this exhibition by a minute repeater featuring a movement entirely openworked and decorated by hand.

Ref. 10938 - 1938 - Pocket watch, minute-repeater, 18K yellow gold. Silvered dial, with 12 Arabic numerals, small seconds at 6 o'clock

 

Symphony of Excellence

In 2009, Vacheron Constantin decided to create a new minute repeater combining slenderness, a pure sound, aesthetic beauty, reliability and sturdiness. Four years provded necessary to solve this complex equation. While the lastest Calibre 1731 is barely thicker than its predecessor from 1993 - 3.90 compared with 3.28 mm - due to its impressive 65-hour power reserve, it is nonetheless the thinnest manual-winding minute repeater on the market today, having successfully overcome the difficulty of assembling and adjusting parts that have been slimmed down to extremes.

Nor are the technical feats confined to the ultra-thin side of its nature, since Calibre 1731 is equipped with a highly ingenious device developed by Vacheron Constantin in 2007 for the 2755 movement - another member of this exclusive family of minute repeater calibres: a flying strike governer. Contrary to classic lever-type governers, this one is completely silent. Its role is steady the rate at which the hammers strike the gongs. Without a regulator or governor, this musical sequence would take place at the speed of the striking barrel-spring, and would merely produce a rush of indiscernible notes. The device developed by Vacheron Constantin comprises two inertia-blocks or weights designed to act as a brake on the rotating shaft of the governor and thus evening out the energy supplied by the barrel spring. To achieve this, it makes use of two opposing centrifugal and centripetal forces. When the governor spins, the centrifugal force pivots one end of the weights outwards so that the other end presses on the shaft so as to stabilize the rotation speed and thus ensure a steady cadence. Perfectly finished right down to the smallest details, the govener bears Vacheron Constantin's Maltese cross emblem, even though the latter cannot be seen from the front of the caliber. (For more info click here LINK)

Particular care was devoted to the Manufacture's striking watches, since its sound is the very reason for being of a striking watch. Various technical choices were made to the case middle to as to amplify the sound, but also for the first time stacked rather than placed side by side. The case is made to be as one with the movement, within a clever composition incorporating such subtle parameters as the airflow between the mechanism and the case, designed to achieve optimal propagation of the sound.

The epitome of classicism conveyed through absolute purity, the Patrimony Ultra-Thin Calibre 1731 conceals remarkable complexity beneath its apparent simplicity. While the design has remained loyal to its timeless design codes, its case has been the object of subtle and complex workmanship so as to form a unified whole with Calibre 1731 and to set a souble record: the thinnest minute repeater movement (3.90 mm) housed inside the slimmest manual-winding minute repeater watch (8.90 mm). Vacheron Constantin has opted for an extremely elegant small second offset at 8 o'clock, the first in Patrimony line: a useful and playful way of making the Patrimony Ultra-Thin Calibre 1731 instantly recognisable.

The true soul of a repeater watch, the individual chime of each watch is recorded and carefully stored before it leaves the Manufacture, thus constituting a "soundprint" duly registered in the Vacheron Constantin archives. This procedure guarantee not only the lifelong repair of all its timepieces, both histoical and contemporary, but also the ability to restore within its workshops the unique sound of each model equipped with a minute repeater.

1943 - Gentleman's wristwatch, minute- repeater. Silvered matt dial, guilloché hour-circle, gold indexes and Roman numerals

1957 - Gentleman's wristwatch, minute- repeater, date with phases of the moon, 18K pink gold. Silvered dial with gold Arabic numerals and indexes