Vacheron Constantin unveils roving vintage collection
With the launch of a highly selective collection of well-sourced vintage watches, Vacheron Constantin joins Audemars Piguet and F.P. Journe in a growing wave of haute horlogerie brands bringing the vintage market in-house
By Chris Hall
The setup goes by the name of Les Collectionneurs, and comprises a set of around twenty hand-picked watches that are being offered for sale through Vacheron Constantin boutiques. Initially at least, it is functioning as a travelling roadshow, with the watches spending a month or so in different markets before moving on. Currently, the watches are on display at the brand?s Old Bond St boutique in London.
The whole project is the brainchild of the brand?s director of heritage, Christian Selmoni. It?s not an entirely new concept ? Vacheron Constantin would occasionally come across an attractive vintage piece and consign it for sale in a boutique ? but it?s now organised and marketed on a different scale. ?It was quite a passive thing before,? explains Selmoni. ?Now we?ve shifted it to something much more active. There?s a huge interest in vintage in general worldwide; we?re surrounded by vintage style and design. And it?s something that most other brands don?t do at this level right now.?
Selmoni and his team ? an expert watchmaker and a specialist in the vintage market ? are sourcing watches for the Les Collectionneurs collection around the world, predominantly at auction but also via direct sales. Each watch is then restored by Vacheron Co...
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