The Vacheron Constantin 222, 333 and Phidias (All photos: Vacheron Constantin)
Take a trip down memory lane and discover Vacheron Constantin’s milestone sports watches up close at an exhibition in its Pavilion Kuala Lumpur boutique until May 31.
The Swiss watchmaker has never stopped creating, enhancing and reinventing itself throughout its 269 years. Even in the early days, its timepieces — greatly appreciated for their reliability and precision — had a place in the pockets of scientists and explorers. The maison won many accolades in chronometry and its watches were naturally of interest to military corps seeking accurate and extremely robust time-measuring instruments.
When the wristwatch came to be in the 20th century, Vacheron Constantin demonstrated its technical prowess in the production of chronographs and they became the benchmark in sporting circles. Over the decades, these watches have consistently proved capable of adapting to the demands of contemporary life, whether in sport or travel, without losing their inherent elegance.
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In the 1970s, the quartz movement transformed the watchmaking industry, but customers’ aspirations also changed. They were more audacious and yearned for almost an irreverent product. Sturdy timepieces crafted in stainless steel with an integrated bracelet and highly legible dial made up a whole new segment of sporty chic products, in keeping with the lifestyles of this era. And in 1977, the brand’s 222nd anniversary, Vacheron Constantin presented its own interpretation of the trend with the 222 watch, designed by the legendary Jörg Hysek. His creation subsequently inspired the 1996 Overseas, which now embodies the maison’s sporty travel line.
Pieces on exhibit include the robust 1972 Turnograph, nicknamed “T-bird” in reference to the 1970s Thunderbird Ford car. Inspired by diving watches, its bezel turns in both directions and has indications every 5 minutes. Guests can also view the original 222, distinguished by a monobloc case on an integrated bracelet with a porthole-style screw-held bezel, providing resistance in harsh environments. The 1996 Overseas will also be there. The shape of its bezel recalls the brand’s Maltese cross symbol and the geometrical lines of earlier screw-down bezels such as the one on the 222.
