In 1755, 24-year-old master watchmaker Jean-Marc Vacheron signs on the first apprentice to his workshop, making clear his intention to hand down his skills. This contract can therefore be regarded as the Maison’s birth certificate, making Vacheron Constantin the oldest watch manufacturer in continuous operation since its founding.
In April 1819, a partnership between the master watchmaker and founder’s grandson, Jacques Barthélémi Vacheron (1787-1864), and the experienced businessman, François Constantin (1788-1854), rechristens the Maison Vacheron et Constantin. 

The two men share an interest in sophisticated and complicated watches. François Constantin brings a keen eye for business, opening a number of new markets over his three decades of travelling for the Maison. On 5 July 1819, François Constantin writes from Turin to his partner, Jacques Barthélémi Vacheron. This missive contains the phrase that will become the Maison’s motto:

“Do better if possible and that is always possible.”

Vacheron Constantin hires a horological engineering genius, Georges Auguste Leschot, charged with developing machining tools dedicated to the improving production quality. Among his many inventions, he adapted the pantograph to watchmaking in 1839, enabling the standardised manufacture and scaling of movement parts and components. This made it possible to ensure uniform quality in series production as well as the exchangeability of parts. In 1844, he was awarded the prestigious Prix de la Rive by the Arts Society, for “the discovery of the most value to the Genevese industry.”

In 1880 the Maltese cross officially becomes the emblem of the Maison. This choice was inspired by the design of a movement component mounted on the barrel cover to ensure the most constant possible unspooling of the spring and thereby more accurate timekeeping. 

Vacheron Constantin’s Maltese cross symbol is registered with the Swiss institute of intellectual property in Bern.

Watches for accurately measuring intervals, initially used in astronomical observations, gain popularity in the 19th century thanks to aviation, military contexts and sports competitions. Starting in 1819 with its exploration of the deadbeat seconds mechanism, and followed by its first chronograph, listed in 1874, Vacheron Constantin actively participated in developments with releases such as the Cornes de Vache chronograph in 1955. More recently, the 2015 Overseas chronograph featured an in-house movement bearing the Geneva Seal.
The chronograph remains one of Vacheron Constantin's most popular mechanical complications.

During the 19th century, the rise of chronometry competitions in many European countries encouraged watchmakers to improve their performance to vie for prestigious prizes. Vacheron Constantin entered the chronometry competitions of the Geneva Observatory early on, achieving distinctions that inaugurated a century of records.
In 1907, the Manufacture unveils the Chronomètre Royal. This spectacular piece offered a level of precision and reliability that made it an international success. 

In 1932, Vacheron Constantin collaborates with Louis Cottier to create the first “Cottier system” World Time watch. This new complication, patented in 1931, perfectly addresses the evolving landscape of communication and transport. Released as Ref. 3372, this model’s unique mechanical movement shows 24 time zones using a disc rotating around the central dial, with an external bezel bearing the names of 31 major world cities.

Jumping hour watches, which appeared in 1824, were initially designed to facilitate legibility. Now, this time-display complication is often paired with retrograde minutes, in which the minute hand sweeps in an arc from zero to sixty before returning to its starting point and resuming its interminable tally.
The ‘Saltarello’ model launched in 1996 is a striking example of this approach, showcasing a combination of functions that has become a fixture in Vacheron Constantin's technical universe.

The Calibre 2460 G4, created in 2005 and used ever since, features four discs that respectively indicate hours, minutes, days and dates. Symmetrically positioned around the periphery of the dial, the apertures for reading time and calendar information leave a vast field of expression for the artisan as the miniature masterpieces need not accommodate hands or numerals. 

This is why the movement is often chosen for timepieces in the Métiers d’Art Collection.

While women became interested in watchmaking early, it was often to adorn their apparel with timepieces designed as jewellery. This ladies' watch from 1889 is among the first serially produced wristwatches. Its advent caused quite a stir, although the pocket watch would reign uncontested until the early 20th century. 

The Maison has always given pride of place to feminine creations as a field of expression, constantly meeting the challenge of fusing timeless style with fashion trends to accompany women's evolving roles.

Carved from a one-kilo gold ingot and set with 118 diamonds totalling some 130 carats, the “Kallista” model (Greek for “most magnificent”) stands out as one of the most dazzling horological creations ever. It took five years to assemble the matched emerald-cut diamonds, and more than 6,000 hours of work to complete the masterpiece. 

One year later, the Maison launched its iconic “Kalla,” which inspired the 2024 “Grand Lady Kalla”.

In 2020, Vacheron Constantin launches a new collection dedicated to women, at the intersection of two worlds: Haute Horlogerie and Haute Couture, interpreted through the prism of craftsmanship, precision, excellence and beauty.

Classic, with a touch of mischief to reflect today’s women: inspiring, independent and charismatic.

The collection returned in 2024 with an innovative and creative collaboration between Vacheron Constantin and “One of Not Many” talent, Yiqing Yin.

Vacheron Constantin presents the world's most complicated watch. With 63 horological complications and 2,877 components, it eclipses the earlier record set by the Maison with Reference 57260 in 2015. Distilled from 11 years of development, this world-first timepiece is distinctive for its genuine Chinese perpetual calendar. Given the particularities of this lunisolar calendar’s complex and irregular cycle, the mechanical programming of in-house Calibre 3752 through to 2200 constitutes a feat of horological genius.

When worn, the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar beats at a high frequency aligned with modern lifestyles, displaying hours, minutes, date, month, leap-year cycle and power reserve on its dial. However, the Calibre 3160 QP, specifically developed for this model, features selectable two oscillators, beating at 5Hz (active mode) and 1.2Hz (stand-by mode) and endowing the watch with a 65-day power  reserve in the same volume as a normal perpetual calendar.

The twin-dial Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600 combines astronomy and the art of watchmaking in a celestial white gold composition. A record-breaking total of 23 complications appear on the front and back dials of the watch, offering three modes for reading the time – civil, solar and sidereal – each driven by its own gear train. An embodiment of technical sophistication, the new fully integrated 514-part calibre measures a mere 8.7 mm deep, while its six barrels guarantee three full weeks of autonomy.

This masterpiece is presented by Vacheron Constantin to mark the Maison’s 250th anniversary. Superlative in every respect, with an unprecedented combination of 16 grand complications, the Tour de l’île is the most complicated two-sided wristwatch ever produced in a series. Only seven were made. It would go on to win the Grand Prix de l’Aiguille d’or at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.