I am lucky enough to be living a fabulous adventure that has been going on for 30 years. Five years is a drop in the ocean compared with 255 years of history. Since humility is the order of the day at Vacheron Constantin, I won’t spend any time analysing my own career. History is shaped by our personnel who year after year continue to seek out new challenges in accordance with the company motto: “Do better if possible, and that is always possible”.

What challenges await the brand over the coming decade?

To remain a “genuine” Manufacture and a guardian of tradition. In-house made, finely fashioned products have that little extra touch of soul provided by manual workmanship and which makes each object truly unique. It corresponds to a tendency among watch customers to seek an approach based on the true values of authenticity and continuity. These are indeed the values they find in our catalogue – and in an even more hand-crafted and artistically-oriented manner within our “Métiers d’Art” collection.

Of which new model launched at the SIHH are you most proud?

All of them, because they represent the culmination of several years of efforts by the men and women at Vacheron Constantin. But two models are particularly dear to me: the new perpetual calendar in the Patrimony line, a piece distinguished by its classicism and its natural elegance; and the Patrimony Traditionelle World Time. It’s the first time a watch indicates 37 world time zones – including those offset by a half- or quarter-hour.

How would you explain the rather demure positioning of the new models introduced in 2011?

After several years of upping the ante in terms of design and case size, the watch industry has become somewhat more reasonable. The crisis accelerated a return to the traditional values of luxury in general and of watchmaking in particular, governed by authenticity, quality and refinement and conducive to classicism and elegance. This is a natural positioning for Vacheron Constantin and one that we have perpetuated this year, especially with the launch of the models I just mentioned.

Which model would you see as liable to reach the final of the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix?

You tell me! We won the Public Prize in the 2010 edition with our HIstoriques Ultra-fine 1955 model, and that was a wonderful reward for us, because at the end of the day a timepiece is only really successful if customers enjoy wearing it. As for the future, it will be up to the new organisation of the Grand Prix to define its expectations.

You have taken part in the Only Watch operation from the very beginning; what does it mean to you?

I was impressed right from the start by the charismatic approach of Luc Pettavino. One simply cannot refuse to help this man who does so many extraordinary things to help his child and the association he founded. Ever since the first edition in 2005, Vacheron Constantin has been involved in the Only Watch operation on behalf of the Monegasque Association against Muscular Dystrophies.

In 2009, Vacheron Constantin wanted to go a step beyond gifting a watch for the auction. We asked ourselves how we could open up a new funding channel on behalf of this association, and which would enable us to focus attention on this association throughout the year. We therefore decided to launch the development and production of a special edition of our Quai de l’Ile model dedicated to this cause, the proceeds from which enabled us to make a direct donation of 100,000 Swiss francs to the association. Each year represents a new challenge for Luc and his team in seeking to support the advancement of research – and I congratulate him most heartily for his efforts!

Is the extremely sophisticated personalisation of the Quai de L’Ile available to customers providing as successful as you had anticipated?

Definitely. Vacheron Constantin has always fostered the creation of timepieces with unique character. It is was this spirit, along with deep-felt respect for the values cherished by the Manufacture, that inspired us in 2008 to launch our Quai de l’Ile collection enabling customers to personalise their watch according to their individual wishes. This unprecedented concept in the world of fine watchmaking is possible because of the original construction of the case and its seven-part middle, which means the client can personalise the heart of the case, the bezel, the lateral flanks and the crown. In conjunction with the dial, this structure enables Vacheron Constantin to offer its clientele a wealth of potential variations within the complete Quai de l’Ile range. When the Quai de l’Ile model was presented, a number of watch industry commentators described this personalised watch concept as being too far upstream in terms of the overall production process. On the contrary, we felt that being able to offer our customers a chance to personalise their watch by choosing the metals composing the case, the movement, the dial finishing as well as the strap, actually corresponded to genuine demand. All in all, we offer our clients 700 potential variations, along with the possibility of a personalised engraving.