Geneva-based luxury watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has long anchored its identity in history and craftsmanship. Now, as it moves past its 270th anniversary, the firm is turning to themes of exploration and travel to define its latest offerings.
Last year, the maison marked the milestone with The Quest for Time (La Quête du Temps), an astronomical automaton clock that spent months on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The piece, which required seven years of research and development, tracks time, a three-dimensional moon phase, and the movement of constellations. It was shown for the first time in Switzerland at the Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva earlier this year.
That clock, says Christian Selmoni, Style and Heritage Director at Vacheron Constantin, encapsulates the brand's core challenge: capturing an intangible concept. “It's very difficult to speak about, to have a kind of definition of what is time, because this is a concept which is quite mysterious,” Selmoni told European Pulse. “This is probably the most intangible thing or concept which exists, but certainly the most important one for us. As watchmakers, we're happy to be able to kind of capture this very intangible notion which is time. I think also it's a celebration of crafts.”
Reinventing Through Travel
For 2025, Vacheron Constantin is channeling that heritage into a new collection: the Overseas line. Selmoni describes it as dedicated to “sport and elegance,” allowing the brand to “reinvent” itself while staying true to its roots. The centerpiece is the Overseas Ultra Thin, a self-winding timepiece with an innovative ultra-thin calibre and a diameter under 40 millimetres.
The collection draws on the brand's long history of travel-inspired watches, but with a modern twist. The Overseas line aims to appeal to a global audience that values both precision and style. The watches are designed for those who move between cities—from Zürich to Milan, from London to Barcelona—and want a timepiece that adapts to both business and leisure.
Vacheron Constantin's approach reflects a broader trend in Swiss watchmaking: marrying deep heritage with contemporary design. The brand, founded in 1755, is one of the oldest continuously operating watch manufacturers in the world. Its archives in Geneva hold records of every watch produced since its founding, a resource that Selmoni and his team mine for inspiration.
The Overseas line is not just about aesthetics; it also incorporates technical innovations. The Ultra Thin movement, for instance, is a feat of engineering that maintains accuracy while reducing thickness. This balance of form and function is a hallmark of the maison's work.
For collectors and connoisseurs, the new collection offers a chance to own a piece of that legacy. The watches are priced in the tens of thousands of euros, positioning them as luxury items for a discerning clientele. Yet Selmoni insists the value lies beyond the price tag. “It's a celebration of crafts,” he says, referring to the artisans who assemble each movement by hand.
As Vacheron Constantin looks ahead, it does so with an eye on the past. The brand's ability to innovate while honoring its 270-year history is what keeps it relevant in a competitive market. The Overseas collection is a testament to that philosophy—a blend of tradition and modernity, designed for the global traveller.
