- Vacheron Constantin has reopened its Melbourne boutique following a renovation
- The new boutique design spans two storeys and combines a showroom with an residential-style space designed to entertain clients and view timepieces in a relaxed setting
- The Vacheron Constantin Melbourne boutique is located at 88 Collins Street, Melbourne
Vacheron Constantin has unveiled its revamped boutique in Melbourne. The updated boutique celebrates Vacheron Constantin’s status as the oldest continually operating watch brand—with this Swiss manufacture celebrating its 270th anniversary this year—while showcasing a design that’s firmly rooted in place. Ensconced within a heritage-listed building on Melbourne’s Collins Street, the new Vacheron Constantin boutique sits amongst a veritable melange of watch showrooms—seriously, the street sees the likes of Tissot and Swatch sit alongside Jaeger-LeCoultre and Omega—but imparts a decidedly different ambience to other nearby horological offerings.
On the ground floor, the showroom is contemporary yet warm and intimate. Brass-rimmed glass display cabinets are kept intentionally small to make the most of the compact space by ensuring key timepieces are on display while precluding it from feeling cramped or unapproachable. Pale neutrals with marble, brass, and wooden accents impart an elevated feel, which is complemented by the omnipresent Maltese Cross; the motif of Vacheron Constantin’s signature symbol appearing in both literal and abstract form throughout the space.
While the ground floor acts as a conduit to acquaint—or reacquaint—clients with the maison’s core and novel timepieces, the private salon represents a departure from the expectations of what a luxury boutique should look like. The constraints of occupying a heritage-listed building work to its favour, with Vacheron Constantin embracing the residential setup. Here, horological details are interwoven with hyperlocal touches that are referential without being derivative.
The striking colour palette draws from Australia’s rich natural landscape; the blue carpet evokes our undulating oceans while the front half of the salon is bathed in a shade of rust orange that recalls the burnt red sand of the outback. Holding court in the middle of the salon is a boomerang-shaped bar crafted from Australian Redwood and topped with travertine. The same Redwood forms cabinetry—above which sits a framed artwork composed of dozens of the maison’s leather watch straps—and a feature wall which has been 3D printed with the maison’s Maltese Cross. Said cabinets also play host to a benchtop which acts as a strap customisation bar, with customers able to select a new strap and have it swapped out before their eyes (preferably, with a negroni from the Boomerang Bar in hand).
Adjacent to the bar space is the aptly named Blue Room, a serene space that takes on the tone of a home library. The aforementioned Australian Redwood timber ties both spaces together, here in the form of shelving adorned with Australian red marble bookends. At the centre of the space is plush bouclé seating which provides a relaxed and intimate setting to look over one’s favoured timepieces from the selection downstairs, alongside idiosyncratic touches that fans of the storied manufacture will enjoy — such as the bespoke game set of noughts and Maltese Crosses.
Showcasing its flair for hospitality, Vacheron Constantin celebrated the reopening of the boutique with select media and VIP guests. Proceedings kicked off with a ribbon cutting ceremony by Gael Porte, managing director of South-East Asia & Oceania, and Arpan Kumar, Melbourne boutique manager. Guests then headed inside to explore Vacheron Constantin’s timeless timepieces before making their way up to the private salon for pre-dinner cocktails (the ingredients of which looked to Australiana — think spiced Australian whisky, finger lime, and eucalyptus bitters) at the Boomerang Bar, followed by a black-tie dinner, complete with a side of rare timepieces, at Atria in the Ritz-Carlton. Naturally, the Maltese Cross presided over the space, beamed onto the walls and ceiling via a light display.
The Vacheron Constantin Melbourne boutique is now open at 88 Collins St, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
