This year the Genevan brand is celebrating its 260^th anniversary and has delved into its wealth of archives to create a new collection. This spectacular glittering fan is part of the incredibly sophisticated and feminine Heures Créatives collection. Its softly edgy geometric shapes and pure Art Deco style are inspired by a pendant watch designed by the brand in 1919. Its white gold silhouette glitters with round diamonds and three diamond rows unfurl over the watch to delicately wrap around the wrist. Its shy body, concealed by a fan, hides a secret. Glide your fingertips over the diamond-covered folds and Heure Discrète reveals a white mother-of-pearl dial whose décor echoes the fan. Two silver “poire” hands skim over the shimmering triangle to display the hours and minutes brought to life by the manual wind 1055 calibre inside the white gold case. Price upon request. Sharmila Bertin

Vacheron Constantin’s smart and exciting (dare we say rebellious?) timepiece will soon have been around for 20 years. In the midst of the Genevan watchmaker’s mainly classic collections, the Overseas model stands out from the crowd. The 2015 version is a sight for travellers’ sore eyes: its lacquered blue dial glistens like the sea in the sunshine with all the information that those who regularly cross the time zones could wish for. The 42mm steel case houses the self-winding 1222 SC calibre which brings to life the baton-shape hour, minute and central seconds hands whilst the second time zone and day/night indicator lie at 6 and 7.30 respectively. The date display with hand appears in a blue chamfered dial at 2 o’ clock whilst a power reserve indicator runs from 8 to 11 o’ clock (up to 40 hour power reserve). Price: 18,600 CHF

The acanthus is a symbol of eternity and victory whose large leaves have adorned some Vacheron Constantin timepieces since 1755. The Geneva-based luxury watch brand is celebrating its 260^th anniversary this year and has gone back to its roots by engraving the Mediterranean plant on two pieces in its Métiers d’Art collection. In a display of artisan talent, the contrast created by the glossy silver leaves and its matt anthracite background is protected by sapphire crystal. The hour and minute hands burst from the centre of the lush pattern. One of the two watches has a tourbillon spinning at 6 o’ clock beneath an openwork Maltese cross rimmed by a frosted and graduated ring whilst an understated power reserve indicator (14 days) stands at 12 o’ clock all brought to life by the manual wind 2260 calibre in the 41mm platinum case. The 4400 calibre is housed in a 39mm case. Price: 93’500 CHF – 374’000 CHF (tourbillon)

Instead of presenting one anniversary piece to celebrate its 260^th birthday, Vacheron Constantin has unveiled a whole new collection called Harmony. The first 7 models were unveiled at the SIHH. In tribute to its exciting past, the brand drew inspiration from its cushion-shaped watch from 1928 with a modern twist without detracting from its beauty. Its new features include a stunning single pusher self-winding chronograph with a split second hand whose platinum case is so slim (5.20mm) and silver-tone dial so balanced that you will be left speechless. The dial bears the hours in blue Arabic numerals beneath blue leaf-shaped hour, minute and small seconds hands plus a red tachymeter scale. The small seconds counter lies at 9 o’ clock, the chronograph hour counter at 3 and the power reserve indicator is at 6 o’ clock. Price: 361,000 CHF

An icon of classical minimalism and the epitome of fine workmanship and natural flair, the Patrimony has reigned over watch collections since 1957. Vacheron Constantin is ending the year with this group of watches including 5 new pieces: 3 models with a slate grey dial (two hands, three hands with date and date/day) and 2 small diamond pieces in white or rose gold with a silver-tone dial. The most stunning thing about these watches is the retrograde dual date and day display. The former lies in a semi-circle between 9 and 3 o’ clock on the grey dial whilst the latter stands between 7 and 5 o’ clock. Both figures are white to stand out against the slate background. The Patrimony’s signature applied indices and pearlescent minute track lie beneath two baton-shaped rose gold hands. The 42.5mm rose gold case houses a self-winding movement bearing the Geneva Seal. Price: 48,500 CHF

Little is known about the origins of platinum but it was used in the Pre-Columbian era and officially discovered by the Spanish in the 18^th century who named it “little silver” (the literal translation of platina). We now know that it is almost 30 times rarer than gold, has countless qualities (density, malleability, ductility and resistance to corrosion) and symbolises strength and stability. Vacheron Constantin uses this raw material to forge the Traditionelle’s 39.5mm case limited to 100 pieces. Its sandblasted platinum dial has 2 dauphine hands and a slim seconds hand in the centre for the hours, minutes and seconds and displays three counters: the day at 9 o’ clock, the date at 3 o’ clock and power reserve (up to 40 hours) at 6 o’ clock. The figures and minute track are painted black. The functions are brought to life by the self-winding in-house 2475 SC calibre. Price: 85,300 CHF

If you think of a barrel shape, you automatically think of Vacheron Constantin who adopted the rounded rectangle in 1912 to break up the monotony of round watches. This is especially evident in its Malte collection whose cases have featured this unusual shape for 14 years. Like a white gold treasure chest, the case (measuring 36.7×47.6mm) houses a manual-wind mechanical movement with a power reserve lasting almost 65 hours. The 4400 AS calibre made in Geneva by Vacheron Constantin brings to life the time functions on the silver-tone sand-blasted dial: hours (12 baton indices and 2 applied Roman numerals in white gold) and minutes (engraved in black) in the middle and the small seconds at 6 o’ clock. This minimalist mechanical marvel approved by the Geneva Seal features a black alligator leather strap with large scales and a white gold buckle adorned by half a Maltese cross. Price: 26,200 CHF

Vacheron Constantin is a name which makes the amateurs and the neophytes of the watchmaking industry dream. Because the Genovese house has filled people’s eyes and hearts with wonder for 258 years, it is thus natural that we fell in love with the Patrimony Contemporaine ultra-thin calibre 1731. Under its elegant red gold silhouette and silver face a world of watch making complexity is hidden. Indeed, presented in a case with a diameter of 41mm, the dial has applied indices, a pearl timer as well as a small second one placed between 8 and 9 o’clock. However, the pure aesthetics do not reveal the smoothness of its (3.90 mm thick) minute repeater movement, the calibre 1731, which has taken four years to develop. Upon request, and thanks to the push buttons on the left hand side of the case, this timepiece strikes the hours, quarter hours and minutes with a crystalline sound for its holder’s greatest pleasure. Price: 400’000 CHF