Number 2 rue de la Paix is reopening its doors following major expansion and renovation and providing another opportunity for Vacheron Constantin to celebrate its 270th anniversary. Just a few steps from Place Vendôme, the new two-storey space showcases the Maison’s expertise, its history and its artistic and cultural sensibility.

Of all capital cities, Paris occupies a special place in Vacheron Constantin’s world. The Maison is reopening the doors of its Parisian flagship boutique in a space that has been tripled in size, making it more comfortable and welcoming. On two floors, visitors are invited to immerse themselves in Vacheron Constantin’s quest for excellence through its heritage, its timepieces, its expertise and its openness to the arts and cultures of the world. The space is imbued with the Maison’s values and aesthetic codes and invites visitors to experience Parisian-style art de vivre.  

France: the Maison's first international venture

Due to the vagaries of history, Vacheron Constantin was a French company for a short time. Founded in Geneva in 1755, the Maison came under French authority during the Napoleonic era, when the city was annexed to the Department of Léman from 1798 to 1813. At that point, Vacheron Constantin decided to open a representative office in Paris – the beginning of a commercial adventure that would soon take it to all the world’s major watch markets. In 1810, Barthélémy Girod, set up the Maison’s first agency in Paris. His nephew, Jacques-Barthélémi Vacheron, went on to join forces with François Constantin in 1819.

Another key date in the story of Vacheron Constantin’s ties with Paris is 1879, when Ferdinand Verger took over the Maison’s agency. While Vacheron Constantin was already well known as a supplier of watch movements to the artisans of the Parisian avant-garde, the half-century-long collaboration with Ferdinand Verger and his sons was to prove highly fruitful – resulting in the creation of watches and jewellery pieces that made Vacheron Constantin famous in the Paris of the Roaring Twenties and following the Second World War.

In June 1972, the French government awarded the Diplôme du Prestige de la France to Vacheron Constantin – the first watchmaker to receive the honour. As a tribute to this distinction, the Maison created a wristwatch with an oval movement housed in an asymmetrical quadrilateral case – a bold design that heralded the creative emancipation characteristic of the 1970s and is now highly appreciated by collectors.

Visitors to the new flagship can rediscover these key dates in Vacheron Constantin’s history thanks to the Chronogramme – a fun, interactive device with a giant touch screen that allows them to navigate through the Maison’s archives.   

A quintessentially Parisian address for an immersive, contemporary showcase

The façade of the boutique has been transformed to create a contemporary allure defined by transparency and light. The ground floor is dedicated to the Maison’s latest references and classic collections. To underline the importance of this new Parisian flagship, Vacheron Constantin is unveiling a new single-piece edition of rare complexity: Les Cabinotiers Temporis Duo Grand Complication Openface. Combining a minute repeater, a split-seconds chronograph and a tourbillon regulator, this watch epitomises the Maison’s quest for mechanical excellence and devotion to aesthetics and finishing.

This attention to detail, a core value of Vacheron Constantin since 1755, is showcased on a wall displaying the range of finishes that are patiently applied by hand to each of the Maison’s calibres. A watchmaker is permanently on hand, encouraging deeper discussion of the subtleties of fine watchmaking in addition to his role in the maintenance, repair and servicing of Vacheron Constantin watches.

Incorporating noble materials, warm colours and French decorative arts – including stained-glass windows and straw marquetry – the interiors have been designed in a spirit of conviviality, whether in the Parisian brasserie-style space on the ground floor or upstairs, where privileged visitors are welcomed in the intimate lounges or private dining room. The staircase evokes the form of the Maltese Cross, Vacheron Constantin’s emblem since 1880, which was inspired by the shape of a component of early watch movements dedicated to the enhanced isochronism of the mainspring.

In keeping with the Maison’s commitment to the arts and culture, the boutique will host an ongoing series of temporary art exhibitions in collaboration with the Parisian gallery Amélie Maison d’Art.   

Details

Boutique Vacheron Constantin 
2 rue de la Paix, 75002 Paris
Hours: 11:30 – 19:00 Monday to Saturday

About Vacheron Constantin

The founding of Vacheron Constantin in Geneva in 1755 marked the beginning of a unique quest for excellence. This quest, to which the Maison has maintained unwavering commitment for 270 years, defines every element of Vacheron Constantin’s identity to this day.

The quest for technical excellence is expressed through the mastery of mechanical complications, timekeeping precision, miniaturisation, original displays, fine finishing, and a vocation to always innovate.

The quest for artistry fosters not only the creation of elegant designs and intricate decoration but also enduring support for craft and artisans, including long-standing patronage of the Arts and culture.

The human quest is manifested not only in a passion for continuous learning and improvement but also through a deep commitment to the transmission of knowledge and savoir-faire.  

This quest, encapsulated in the words of François Constantin in 1819 to “do better if possible, and that is always possible”, has served as the ultimate inspiration for a Maison focused on creativity and innovation for 270 years. 

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