Discover the best watch boutiques: first up, Vacheron Constantin in Edinburgh

Discover the world’s best watch boutiques: first stop, Vacheron Constantin opens in Edinburgh, championing artisanal collaboration

interior of Vacheron Constantin in Edinburgh, one of the world's best watch boutiques
(Image credit: Vacheron Constantin )

Our new series explores the world's best watch boutiques and makes its first stop in Edinburgh, Scotland, where Vacheron Constantin has opened its new store, with interiors defined by the work of local artisans.

Vacheron Constantin, Edinburgh

interior of Vacheron Constantin watch boutique with armchairs and side table

(Image credit: Vacheron Constantin )

Vacheron Constantin has marked the opening of its first Edinburgh boutique with a collaboration with five local artisans, who draw on local materials and traditional techniques for a store rich in cultural references.

The new space, a stone’s throw from Edinburgh Castle, is located in a historic building on Frederick Street. ‘The city of Edinburgh is home to a rich heritage and culture that echoes many of the values of Vacheron Constantin,’ says the company’s UK brand director, Charlotte Tanneur Teissier. ‘It was a natural choice for the maison to have a boutique in this prestigious city. This Vacheron Constantin boutique sits within the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, across from Princes Street Gardens, in the very heart of Edinburgh; it is the perfect location to meet and host connoisseurs and enthusiasts of haute horlogerie.’

Tanneur Teissier was keen to celebrate artistry, one of the brand’s key pillars, in the collaborations with craftspeople, who have contributed sculptural displays to the store, from Chalk Plaster’s pedestal table crafted from Edinburgh soot to Method Studio’s umbrella stand of Scottish oak, and Hazel Frost’s traditional tea bowls in foraged Scottish clay.

‘We were looking for passionate craftspeople who champion traditional crafts and have a desire to share the knowledge and skill that they have acquired – something that Vacheron Constantin is equally passionate about,’ Tanneur Teissier adds. ‘Each artisan has an individual take on their specialty; you can find hundreds of years of tradition infused with a contemporary twist or approach, a careful choice of the best materials with story and meaning, and crucially a sensitivity to their client and the environment where the object will reside.’

vacheron-constantin.com (opens in new tab)

Hannah Silver joined Wallpaper* in 2019 to work on watches and jewellery. Now, as well as her role as watches and jewellery editor, she writes widely across all areas including on art, architecture, fashion and design. As well as offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, Hannah is interested in the quirks of what makes for a digital success story.