Vacheron Constantin has been around for a long time as a staple in haute horlogerie – almost three centuries in fact. And in that time, they’ve beaten all odds and consistently delivered only the best of Swiss watchmaking.
To mark its 270th anniversary, the Swiss Maison unveils The Quest: 270 Years of Seeking Excellence, a globetrotting exhibition starting off in Abu Dhabi on February 21. Set against the striking waterfront backdrop of Al Qana, this immersive journey invites visitors to traverse centuries of horological artistry, from Jean-Marc Vacheron’s first apprentice contract in 1755 to the unveiling of a celestial-inspired timepiece crafted exclusively for the emirate.
Choosing Abu Dhabi as the inaugural destination for this venture is no coincidence as the emirate has been developing steadily as a nexus of luxury and cultural exchange. The exhibition, running until April 15 of this year, intertwines Vacheron Constantin’s heritage with the region’s traditions, offering workshops, panel discussions, and the debut of the Maison’s first Majlis – a reimagined space blending Emirati hospitality with high watchmaking. During Ramadan, tailored programming will fuse craftsmanship with heritage, in celebration of the Holy Month.
Central to the overall experience is the Middle East-exclusive Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication, a marvel featuring Abu Dhabi’s celestial chart and 23 complications, including a patented running equation of time. Its three-week power reserve and cosmic motif nod to the region’s legacy of celestial navigation. Nearby, six interactive panels dissect the 2,877 components of Les Cabinotiers – The Berkley Grand Complication, 2024’s most complicated watch (complete with the world’s first Chinese perpetual calendar), inviting guests to explore mechanics invisible to the naked eye.
Christophe Ramel, Vacheron Constantin’s Middle East Managing Director, describes Abu Dhabi as a “dynamic crossroads of innovation and heritage,” a sentiment echoed by Noura Al Foulathi of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), who highlights the emirate’s role in bridging global craftsmanship with local culture. Beyond technical prowess, the exhibition celebrates human artistry: engravers, enamellers, and gem-setters demonstrate ancestral skills, while archival treasures like the 1839 pantograph – a tool revolutionising component standardisation – trace the Maison’s boundary-pushing ethos.
The journey culminates beneath a digital Milky Way, where visitors can chart personalised star maps, reflecting on time’s cosmic dimensions. This interplay of micro and macro – from infinitesimal watch components to galaxies – encapsulates Vacheron Constantin’s philosophy: “Do better if possible, and that is always possible.”
For 270 years, the Maison has balanced technical ingenuity with aesthetic elegance, a duality embodied in pieces like the diamond-studded Kallista (1979) and today’s Celestia. As The Quest prepares to voyage beyond the Gulf, its Abu Dhabi debut offers more than a retrospective but rather a dialogue between past and future, precision and poetry, Swiss craftsmanship and Middle Eastern tradition.
Guests may book tailored experiences online, from hands-on workshops to culinary collaborations with Emirati chef Mariam Al Mansoori.