Vacheron Constantin 82035 Historiques American 1921

Vacheron's Rarest Historiques Is Also Its Most Coveted 

At the beginning of the 20^th century,  the automobile was still a novelty, and a cottage industry of manufacturers cropped up to create apparel and accessories for the modern motorist. 

From often-unwieldy driving suits, meant to shield the occupants of open-topped cars from the dust and wind of still-unpaved roads to leather driving gloves that allowed drivers to keep their grip on large wooden steering wheels (without power steering!), drivers found themselves buying an entire ensemble, not just a car. And of course, watches made their way into the list of must-haves for drivers.

In 1921, at the request of a wealthy customer who had a direct line to the Maison, Vacheron Constantin made a driver’s watch with a dial and movement rotated 45 degrees, angled so that the dial could be viewed without requiring the driver to take a hand off the wheel. The entire movement had to rotate to accommodate the small seconds dial at the three o’clock position, which is why the crown is up in the corner, aligned with the twelve o’clock marker. 

Nearly a century later, the watch was revived to great acclaim. This New York Boutique Edition, reference 82035/000J-9717, features a sandblasted silver dial and a 40mm 18K yellow gold case that’s a mere 8mm thick, making it slide right under the wearer’s cuff, whether they’re in a driving suit or a formal suit. It’s powered by a manual-winding calibre 4400/1, which delivers a 65-hour power reserve and has the prestigious Geneva Seal, marking it as a movement with exceptional craftsmanship and finishing. It was released in 2012 in a limited run of just 64 pieces to celebrate the opening of Vacheron’s boutique on Madison Avenue and 64th Street in New York City. (The brand’s flagship boutique has since relocated to 57th Street.)

Time has treated the Historiques American well, and its cushion case and bold numbers are just as stunning to the contemporary collector’s eye as examples from Vacheron’s archives. While we might have traded special gear and driving goggles for an Instagram wristshot against a steering wheel when we head out on the highway, the practicality of a driver’s watch endures.