“I CONSIDER MY ROLE TO BE THE ONE THAT OPENS THE DOOR, BUT NOT TO A VERY LARGE NUMBER BECAUSE WE PRODUCE VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES”

Louis Ferla

CEO, Vacheron Constantin

Fine watchmaking is an exclusive world, and not just anyone can purchase a top piece. For example, Vacheron Constantin CEO Louis Ferla says that the brand received far more orders than it could fulfil at the recent 28th Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. “We ended up having to apologise to our clients.”

Ferla, who joined the company in October 2016 as managing director, has been CEO of Vacheron Constantin since April 2017. Also in 2017 the watchmaker launched the highly complex Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication. Packed with 23 complications, including seasons, solstices, equinoxes, zodiac signs and even a tide- level indicator, the timepiece snagged the Mechanical Exception Watch Prize at the Grand Prix d’horlogerie de Genève.

Last year saw the launch of a new Fiftysix collection comprising three models: Self- Winding; Day- Date and Complete Calendar. Inspired by the iconic 1956 watch Ref 6073, the brand’s first model to be driven by an automatic movement, Fiftysix is a nostalgic expression revived by new movements and a modern aesthetic, including the original Maltese- inspired lugs that now bear a streamlined, contemporary finish.

Its base model, the Fiftysix SelfWinding, is being introduced as the brand’s most accessible piece yet. Driven by a new automatic Calibre 1326, visible through the case back, this entry- level offering provides a gateway to Vacheron Constantin, especially with its steel version. Despite being marketed as the most affordable Vacheron Constantin timepiece yet, Ferla says no shortcuts were made.

“The level of finishing that we put into Fiftysix is the same as all our collections. We want to ensure that we respect the DNA and codes of Vacheron Constantin.”

On the other end of the Fiftysix price spectrum is the Complete Calendar, with a streamlined, classic aesthetic that showcases its triple calendar layout. Two apertures display the day and month respectively, while the date is indicated by a ticking blue hand.

Ferla describes Fiftysix as a stepping stone. “I consider my role to be one that opens the door, but not to a very large number of people because we produce very limited quantities. We want to engage people, so that they can understand what Vacheron Constantin is and what we are doing. We don’t want [ the Fiftysix] to be our main business; this remains the Cabinotiers or Metiers d’art collections, for example. What we want is for people to enter the universe of Vacheron Constantin and explore it.”

One surprise Ferla encountered when he joined Vacheron Constantin is the brand’s relatively young clientele. “Our watches are expensive in absolute value, but the average age range of our customers is below 40, which is very promising for us in the future,” he says.

In early 2017 the Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955 Limited Edition watch was made exclusively available on the Hodinkee website, and all 36 pieces of the chronograph were snapped up in under 30 minutes. But Ferla does not think e- commerce will ever replace the experience of stepping into a boutique. “I think many of our clients still want to touch, feel and see the product, so we need to offer them the opportunity to do so in a qualitative way.”

He also highlights another novelty for the year, the deceptively simple Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Excellence Platine. Its all- platinum aesthetic is expressed from case to dial and moon- phase – there’s even platinum on the strap stitching – and highlights the inconspicuous yet important details of the watch.

“It is a relatively simple watch from afar,” Ferla says. “But when you look at the level of complication, it’s quite amazing. Though we are a traditional manufacture, we are also very innovative. We respect the codes of haute horlogerie but we constantly try to push the limit, whether in the finishing or from a technical point of view. We have to continue to do new things but stay true to our values.”