Vacheron Constantin
Vacheron Constantin was founded in 1755 by Jean-Marc Vacheron in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1770, Vacheron's company created the world's first horological complication, and just nine years later he designed the first engine-turned dials. Abraham Vacheron (Jean's son) joined the company and took the helm in 1785. In 1810, Jacques-Barthélemy Vacheron (Abraham's son) joined and headed the company. The company saw success and he began to export his pieces to both Italy and France. The business grew and he began to expand sales further overseas. In 1819 François Constantin joined the company to facilitate the faster growth overseas and the name was changed to Vacheron & Constantin. François Constantin traveled to market the watches and in 1833 Vacheron and Constantin hired Georges-Auguste Leschot to head the manufacturing. He began by standardizing watch movements into Calibers. François Constantin's passed away in 1854 and Jacques-Barthélemy Vacheron's continued in the business until he passed in 1863. At the time heirs took over the company and continued running the company and in 1877, Vacheron & Constantin, Fabricants, Geneve became the name of the company. Shortly thereafter in 1887 the company was reorganized into a joint-stock company. Vacheron & Constantin opened their first boutique in Geneva in 1906. By 1936, Charles Constantin became the head of the company who ran the company until in 1940, Georges Ketterer acquired the majority portion of the stock of Vacheron & Constantin from Charles. Ketterer ran the company successfully until he passed in 1969and his son Jacques became the head of the company in 1970 changing the name to Vacheron Constantin for simplicity. Jacques passed away in 1987 and Sheik Ahmed Zaki Yamani became the company's majority shareholder. The company was then sold in 1996 to the Richemont Group. Richemont developed the company further opening a new headquarters and manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva.
