Vacheron Constantin - The Record Breaker
One of the most famous brand names in the world of Haute Horlogerie is Vacheron Constantin. Although the company states its foundation date to be the year 1755 there is no direct evidence of this statement. The company in its own archives has very few documents that can state some facts of its activity in 18th century.
The oldest documents are letters of 1810 signed by Jaques-Barthelemy Vacheron. However, one of the oldest watch manufacturing companies throughout its history significantly contributed to the world of fine watches. It was one of the first to create a complicated timepiece.
With the help of Georges-Auguste Leschot, who joined the company in 1839, Vacheron Constantin was able to decrease its spendings and increase its productions. Georges-Auguste Leschot was an inventor. Among his most known inventions was a machine able to produce identical interchangeable parts. Thus the need of hand-making these parts fell off.
Today the company continues designing new exclusive timepieces with complicated movements. Vacheron Constantin is one of the few watchmaking companies that create its own movements for watches. The masters from Vacheron Constantin Manufacture even broke several records concerning the world of luxury watches.
First there was Kallista. This watch was designed in 1979 and is considered to be the most expensive wristwatch in the world. From its first appearance this timepiece was meant to become a legend. The watch masters made a perfect combination of jewelry and watchmaking.
Kallista is a creation that was in need of a lot of time to be made. This mechanical wonder included a mechanism which was wounded by hand and a case set with not less than 118 emerald-cut diamonds. The case itself was sculpted from a gold block. The latter weighted over one kilo. To create the mechanical part it took the watchmakers from Vacheron Constantin six thousands hours and to set the watch in diamonds the best jewelers in the world worked for 20 months.
Kallista is translated from Greek as "the most wonderful" and the watch truly deserves its name. The initial price of the watch was 5 million dollars. It was sold for about 9 million and today it is valued at 11 million. Every stone of Kallista has its own GIA (Gemological Institute of America) certificate. The designer of this wonder was Raymond Moretti. All in all the watch weights 130 carats.
In 2005 Vacheron Constantin proved that it is able to amaze the world of watches once again. Its Tour de l'Ille is considered to be the most complicated wristwatch in the world. It included 834 parts and 16 complications. The initial price of the watch was 1.5 million dollars. There's no doubt that the company will launch new surprises in the future. We will just have to wait and see.
