During the renovation period of its Zurich boutique, Vacheron Constantin welcomes its customers by appointment in its Suite 1755, a specially designed area at the Hotel La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich.
I spent the holidays in the Middle East visiting my sister – Oman and Dubai indulged me with nice, sunny weather, relaxed mood and lovely food. I wasn’t particularly keen to travel back to the -4 °C Switzerland. Thankfully, Vacheron Constantin knows how to start the New Year with style, and make my comeback as pleasant as possible. The Maison just opened its new, temporary space in the Hotel La Réserve Eden au Lac on Utoquai, Zürich.
From January 8 to March 23, 2024, Vacheron Constantin will be completely renovating its Zurich boutique on Bahnhofstrasse. During the renovation period, Vacheron Constantin receives its customers by appointment in its Suite 1755, a specially designed area on the third floor of the hotel. ‘We are thrilled to welcome our clients to the Suite 1755 at Hotel La Réserve, where we embrace the spirit of the Swiss Alps and the quest for excellence that defines Vacheron Constantin.’ – shares Clémence Charrier, Vacheron Constantin Regional Brand Director.
The history of Eden au Lac dates back to 1909. The majestic, neo-baroque building has been a defining element of the lakeshore for over a century. In October 2017, the hotel was closed for a major restoration. In fall 2019, the Eden au Lac reopened under the flag of La Réserve. All spaces, including the 40 rooms and suites, two bars and restaurants have been redesigned by the famous French industrial architect and designer, Philippe Starck.
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Eden Kitchen in the Hotel La Réserve Eden au Lac, photo: Grégoire Gardette
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The spirit of the very own suite of Vacheron Constantin reflects the mood of the interiors found in luxury mountain residences in the Swiss Alps. Soft, natural, earthy colours, interesting textures and surfaces are combined with a special wall decoration. The mosaic patterns are inspired by the Maltese cross emblematic of the Maison. The VIP lounge offers a dedicated place to discover the Haute Horlogerie collections. From the balconies you can enjoy the view of the historic center, with the lake and the mountains in the distance.
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Suite 1755 in the Hotel La Réserve Eden au Lac
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Les Collectionneurs
Apart from discovering Vacheron’s new exclusive retail lounge, we had the rare opportunity to see a few great vintage pieces within the Les Collectionneurs assortment. Christian Selmoni, Style & Heritage Director and Michael Raich, Boutique Director Zurich explained the idea and the rigorous process behind the Les Collectionneurs. The concept is that collectors can acquire wristwatches and pocket watches, carefully selected by the Heritage Department, restored according to the highest standards of the brand and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a two-year guarantee. In 2019, Vacheron Constantin has even adopted a blockchain based certification process for the Les Collectionneurs timepieces.
Vacheron Constantin has a very extensive archive, now encompassing some 1600 watchmaking pieces dating from the 18th century to the present day. The serial numbers of the case and movement are kept in the archives for authentication purposes. Pocket watches dating from 1910 to 1930 as well as any wristwatches predating 1970 have to go through a double expert assessment.
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Vacheron Constantin - Les Collectionneurs timepieces
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For the most authentic restoration, the watchmakers have stocks of preserved historical components and original technical drawings and instructions at their disposal. The restoration is carried out exclusively within the Manufacture in Geneva by expert watchmakers who can ask for the help of master jewelers, guillocheurs and gemsetters of the Maison, if needed.
Les Collectionneurs pieces are a great tribute to hand-crafted, well designed watches which are still as beautiful and desired today as they were in their heydays. As Vacheron Constantin hosts dedicated events in selected boutiques, watch lovers can discover the stories behind these rare models and can learn appreciate fine watchmaking even more.
The vintage messengers will be in Suite 1755 for a while before visiting another location. However, the next three months will be full of exciting exhibitions and workshops of various crafts and art forms for collectors of the brand by invitation.
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Vacheron Constantin Ref. 1136 CH QP, 49005 chronograph
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Vacheron Constantin Ref. 4034, circa 1942, rectangular, 18k yellow gold wristwatch
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Photo credits: Vacheron Constantin. Hotel La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich. Loupiosity.com
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