Vacheron & Constantin
In 1755, Jean-Marc Vacheron decided to open his own watch-making workshop and began to build pocket watches.
Fifteen years after its foundation in 1770, Vacheron Constantin created its first 'complication' watches which included a chronograph, moon phase and triple calendar. In 1785 leadership of business was handed to his son Abraham Vacheron who directed the business successfully through the turbulent French Revolution.
In 1819 the third generation, Jaques-Barthélemy, grandson of Jean-Marc Vacheron realised that he was not able to handle his business alone. In order to travel overseas and sell the company's products, he needed a partner. Consequently François Constantin became the associate of Vacheron and together they created the company name "Vacheron et Constantin".
In 1839 Vacheron & Constantin hired Georges-Auguste Leschot. His job was to supervise their manufacturing operations. Leschot was an inventor and his creations turned out to be successful for the company. His inventions had a great impact on the watch making industry in general. He was the first person to standardize movements into Calibres
Vacheron & Constantin sees itself today as the ‘oldest watch factory in the world'. They continue to manufacture timepieces that stand out for their quality and elegance, as first aspired to by Jean-Marc Vacheron in 1755.
