Vacheron Constantin

Tick Talk
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Credit Georges Ketterer

I certainly admire the pride, even smugness, that JLC fans have for their reputation as the watchmaker's watchmaker.  However, the development of the caliber 1120 ultra-thin movement didn't spring independently from JLC, nor did they develop the movement then shop it around to other brands. 

You may recall that in 1938 V&C and JLC merged and for almost fifty years shared movement development facilities through their SAPIC holding company.  Under the leadership of ex-JLC marketiing director Georges Ketterer, V&C exploited this resource to develop both the caliber 1003 and 1120 through SAPIC, which Audemars Piguet also aquired through their 40% ownership of JLC.  Jaeger-LeCoultre was, in this case, a sub-contractor. 

The one element that characterizes the Swiss watch industry best IMHO are the "wheels within wheels", just like a gear train!  The Ketterer family were major shareholders in both JLC and VC until the Yamani sale in 1986.  AP only divested their share of JLC to Richemont in 2000.  Today it is entirely legitimate to compare these brands as rivals but I find it ironic to transpose this competition into the past when they were, in fact, brothers