Chronomètre Royal 1907

Tribute to a flamboyant centenarian

The Watch Quote™ - September 26th, 2007

The more than 250 years of uninterrupted history pursued by Vacheron Constantin are punctuated by many significant milestones. From a connoisseur’s viewpoint, 1907 stands out as a special landmark, since that was the year the Geneva-based Manufacture presented its first Chronomètre Royal and subsequently registered this venerable name that has become synonymous with nobility and dependability.

Right from the start, the Chronomètre Royal – naturally introduced as a pocket-watch at the time – earned swift international success due to an array of qualities distinguishing it quite clearly from the standard watchmaking production of the period.

Its sturdiness, reliability and precision earned it legendary renown and were a delight for devotees living in extreme climates hitherto not conducive to the smooth running of timepieces.

This marked the beginning of an extraordinary adventure for the Chronomètre Royal model by Vacheron Constantin, which was to repeatedly surprise observers by its functional qualities as it steadily evolved throughout the 20th century.

A century has passed since the presentation of the first Chronomètre Royal

To celebrate this historical milestone and in tribute to this model so emblematic of the Geneva Manufacture and the values it conveys, Vacheron Constantin now proudly presents a new Chronomètre Royal 1907 within its “Historiques” line.

Created in the spirit of the era and highlighting the work of skilled artisans, the Chronomètre Royal 1907 – issued this year in a limited edition of 100 exclusive watches – is distinguished in particular by its classically inspired case and its Grand Feu enamelled dial crafted in harmony with the finest watchmaking traditions.

Moreover, it also houses a new proprietary self-winding movement, Calibre 2460 SCC, equipped with a stop seconds mechanism and bearing double certification, respectively granted by the Hallmark of Geneva governing authorities and the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC).

With this Chronomètre Royal 1907, Vacheron Constantin is returning to its roots while combining creativity with historical exactitude. This rare model is quite clearly destined for connoisseurs and collectors, representing the perfect expression of the classic Haute Horlogerie values embodied by Vacheron Constantin for over 250 years.

An immediate success right from its birth

May 28th 1907 was destined to go down in Vacheron Constantin history. That was the day the “Chronomètre Royal Vacheron Constantin Genève” became a registered trademark and the first pocket-watch bearing this prestigious name was presented, paving the way for a timepiece enshrining all the ingredients required to become an enduring legend.

This early recognition stemmed first and foremost from the intrinsic qualities of this pocket-watch radiating an understated elegance matched by peerless precision and sturdiness. It immediately aroused considerable interest and curiosity, doubtless due to the obvious fact that it was endowed with timeless technical and functional qualities. These enviable characteristics, which were extremely rare at the time of its launch in the first decade of the 20th century, were enough to ensure a unique place in history for the name of this prestigious lineage.

The strong and favourable reactions to the Chronomètre Royal and its instant international success led Vacheron Constantin to reinforce its protection by registering the “Chronomètre Royal Vacheron Constantin Genève” trademark in Switzerland in 1907.

A century after the introduction of the Chronomètre Royal, historical hindsight confirms that the enthusiasm generated during the early years continued unabated. In all, around 20 models and as many movements have illustrated the various chapters of this ongoing success story.

Exceptional reliability, sturdiness and accuracy

The first pocket-watch models equipped with 22 lignes movements are distinguished by a degree of reliability and sturdiness that made the Chronomètre Royal the watch of the early 20th century. It was no coincidence that it became so swiftly successful in Latin America, since it was soon seen to be one of the first watches able to stand up over the long term to the multiple uncertainties of the climate and conditions prevailing on this continent.

Whether changes in altitude, major daily temperature variations or a high humidity rate: nothing appeared detrimental to the running of the Chronomètre Royal, which found a particularly receptive market in these regions. Customers in this part of the world were all the more interested in buying watches providing long-term reliability in that they lived in remote areas that were often far away from after-sales service centers.

These imperious necessities, transformed into correspondingly high demands, were to ensure the success of the Chronomètre Royal watch, which proved itself entirely capable of running smoothly for years, even in the most difficult conditions.

Moreover, the sturdiness and precision of these mechanical movements were further enhanced by the exceptional quality of the dials that were also to become part of the Chronomètre Royal legend. Made from Grand Feu enamel in order to resist oxidation, often graced with Arabic numerals and featuring an outer minute circle, they found their way through the decades unscathed by the passing of time. Witness the remarkable state of the almost century-old pocket-watches that are returned to the Vacheron Constantin customer service workshops for an overhaul of their mechanical heart.

This sturdiness and this reliability have gradually become the most striking signature features of the Chronomètre Royal by Vacheron Constantin. But they have of course been an integral part of the brand heritage and genes for much longer than that. Witness the wealth of correspondence exchanged between the tireless traveller François Constantin and the meticulous watchmaker Jacques Barthélémy Vacheron, which repeatedly mentions the determination expressed by the former in his letters to the latter: no need to produce flowery models in tune with the times, sturdiness and precision are paramount!

A century later, this two-fold demand for sturdiness and precision –guaranteed over the long term– has become inextricably entwined with the many different developments of the Chronomètre Royal. This prestigious lineage is in this respect entirely emblematic of the overall Vacheron Constantin philosophy.

Precision confirmed by prestigious chronometry competitions

A major new chapter in the history of the Chronomètre Royal model was written in 1953 with the emergence of the first wristwatch bearing the name. The classical design codes of its yellow gold case were clearly in line with those of the Chronomètre Royal pocket-watches.

At the heart of this wristwatch beat hand-wound Calibre 1007 with small seconds and stop-balance mechanism, bearing the Hallmark of Geneva and delivered with its Observatory Rating Certificate. This 12 lignes, or the almost identical Calibre 1008 with central seconds, were to equip all the Vacheron Constantin Chronomètre Royal wristwatches between 1953 and 1962. The stop-seconds or stop-balance system with which they are equipped enabled extremely accurate time-setting. While it represents a key argument for a timepiece built upon the cardinal value of precision, the stop-seconds function was nonetheless an extremely rare feature on wristwatches of that era.

Loyal to the principles on which the first generations of Chronomètre Royal had built their reputation, these wristwatches displayed remarkable chronometric performances. Vacheron Constantin was delighted to be able to point out its peerless expertise in this field and its ability to excel in vying with its peers during the most prestigious competitions.

One eloquent example is the 1957 advert recalling the First Prize awarded for marine chronometers, and then evoking the precision of its Chronomètre Royal wristwatch: “Each year, Vacheron & Constantin competes against the best Swiss brands at the Geneva Observatory contest. Once again, in 1956, Vacheron & Constantin won top honours in these particularly demanding trials, achieving results worthy of a watchmaking tradition going back over 200 years. Not only was Vacheron & Constantin ranked first in the A and B categories, but its chronometers swept up 8 of the top 10 places in each of these categories!”

The advert then continues by evoking the precision characteristics of the Chronomètre Royal wristwatch: “An extremely high-class watch created for a demanding clientele by the same experts who produced the Vacheron & Constantin chronometers that win observatory competitions”.

This concern for chronometric precision is intimately bound up with the history of the Chronomètre Royal watch. It was perpetuated with the emergence of the first self-winding movements – Calibres 1072 and 1072Q with date – that were to equip the Chronomètre Royal from 1962 onwards.

Another major movement within this collection is the highly sought-after Calibre 1096, produced in the 1970s in a relatively limited series. The first ever departure from the round shape of the case came in 1976 with a limited steel edition of the Chronomètre Royal, and from 1998 onwards the classic round gold case regained precedence in perpetuating an exceptional and already almost century-old history.

Vacheron Constantin Chronomètre Royal 1907
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