End: 14 Aug 2011
Location: National Museum of Singapore
Address: 93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897
From June 24th to August 14th 2011, in collaboration with Vacheron Constantin, the National Museum of Singapore extends an invitation to discover the history of the Manufacture and that of Genevan Haute Horlogerie.
The first major public exhibition of the heritage of the world’s oldest watch manufacturer in uninterrupted activity since its founding, the “Treasures of Vacheron Constantin – A legacy of watchmaking since 1755” shed light on more than 250 years of creativity and know-how.
Conceived as an educational journey revolving around the spirit of the artisans cabinotiers of the 18th Century, the exhibition is an exploration of the evolution of the measurement of time, of its crafts and of artistic influences, a trilogy that defines the history of Vacheron Constantin since its foundation.
The visitor travels back in time via 180 exceptional pieces from the heritage of the Manufacture in Geneva, in an exposition covering 600sqm. From archived documents belonging to Jean-Marc Vacheron and Francois Constantin to particular watchmaking tools, and from the Genevan workbenches of the artisans cabinotiers to the machines invented by the Manufacture, the set design gives life to a technical and aesthetic universe of incredible richness.
Like an open book on the past and present, the pieces of the exhibit highlight the Métiers d’Art without which the Haute Horlogerie of Geneva would not shine as brightly.
The centerpiece of the exhibition is a brilliant illustration of this truth: the pocket watch Les Bergers of Arcadia created in 1923 embodies in and of itself the alchemy of manufacturing know-how developed in the course of an endless quest for excellence.
On location for several days following the exposition’s opening, talented artisans of the Manufacture enthrall visitors with some of their secrets. Engraver, gem-setter, guillocheur, enameller and watchmaker showcase a know-how inherited from past centuries that continues to nurture constant creativity.
"This first major exhibition of Treasures of Vacheron Constantin - A Legacy of Watchmaking since 1755 - laid the beginnings of a long journey into the cultural richness of our history, one that echoes that of Haute Horlogerie."
A story that remains one of the finest demonstrations of a community working together, where every timepiece is the result of a symbiosis of talents and the extraordinary men and women who combine their expertise for a common goal."It is our duty to share this heritage to preserve its invaluable human footprint in history." Juan Carlos Torres, CEO of Vacheron Constantin.
