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Columbus - Marcopolo Watches by Vacheron Constantin, the tribute to the great explorers

Commemorating the explorer’s spirit of finding new life and hope, I highlight some notable men’s accessories like these watches. Vacheron Constantin has launched the timekeeping masterpieces to pay tribute to Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus who are both undoubtedly the greatest explorers of all time.

Marco Polo of Venetian (1254 – 1324) was renowned for his journal Il Milione (“The Million” or The Travels of Marco Polo, also known as Oriente Poliano) describing life in the Orient, including Asia, Persia, China and Indonesia between 1271 and 1298. Together with his father Niccolò and his uncle Maffeo, Polo was one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China and visit Kublai Khan, a grandson of Genghis Khan and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty.

Marco Polo Watch by Vacheron Constantin, tribute to great explorers

Christopher Columbus (1451 – 1506) was an Italian navigator and explorer who voyaged across the Atlantic Ocean from Iberia to the Indies seeking wealth from the establishment of trade routes and colonies. Columbus lived in the critical time of growing national imperialism and economic competition. He hypothesized that earth is a globe and he won the attention of Queen Isabella of Spain to patronize his voyage finding shorter and more direct route of spice trade. He then landed in Bahamas Archipelago which he named San Salvador and also in America. Columbus initiated widespread contact between Europeans and indigenous Americans. The anniversary of Columbus’ 1492 landing in the Americas (Columbus Day) is observed throughout the Americas and in Spain on October 12.

Columbus Watch by Vacheron Constantin, tribute to great explorers

Produced in limited edition of 60 pieces each, The Vacheron Constantin ‘Métiers d’Art Tribute to Great Explorers’ Watches depict the routes sailed by Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus by outstanding nuanced shades of color - from the pale blue of the seas to the orangey ochre of dry land. It is a sophisticated art of ‘grand feu’ enameling, one of the oldest, rarest and most outstanding traditions of hand craftsmanship, with only a few artisans holding the keys to its secrets.

The way The Vacheron Constantin ‘Métiers d’Art Tribute to Great Explorers’ show time is unique. They employ glance-paralyzing dial and a patented movement required from the technical and aesthetic expertise accumulated during the Vacheron Constantin’s amazing 250-year experience.

The ‘grand feu’ polychrome enameled dial has two parts – one part partly overlaps the other. On the upper part you will see a portion of the globe - a historical map reminding about the feats of the great explorer. The lower part of the dial features twelve numerals for the hour moving across a 132 degree minute scale.

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