Sandrine Donguy views her position as product marketing & innovation director at Vacheron Constantin not as a competition with her male counterparts in an industry dominated by men. Rather, she sees it as a collaborative one where both genders contribute their capabilities to the role harmoniously.
She says: “We are complementary in the way of delivering the business and strategy. I will say the masculine approach is more action-oriented, while women are much more sensitive. Most of all, it is important for us to drive the business together, especially for a maison like Vacheron Constantin which is always about dedication and elegance.”
Donguy also points out that there have been a number of feminine timepieces in the heritage of the brand. In fact, the history of women's watches by Vacheron Constantin dates back to the 19th century when delicate and ornate pocket watches for women were created. These often feature intricate engravings, gemstones, and enamel work.
Over the years, Vacheron Constantin has consistently demonstrated its watchmaking prowess by creating intricate complications tailored for women's watches. These include watches with features like moon phases, dual time zones, and even minute repeaters, all housed within beautifully crafted cases.
Dazzling examples were on display at the Watches & Wonders 23 exhibition held earlier this year in Geneva, where Options had a chance to interview Donguy at the Vacheron Constantin pavilion. Donguy says she has “a very cool position” in her current role. “I am involved in 360-degree strategic management initiatives along with steering marketing strategies.”
Prior to joining the maison in 2018, Donguy had accumulated over 15 years of experience in the watch industry. Her background encompasses tasks such as overseeing product development management and executing comprehensive 360-degree strategic management initiatives. Presently, her responsibilities encompass three primary activities: She is deeply engaged in the development, augmentation, and vigilant oversight of the watch collections, and she plays a pivotal role in steering innovation-focused product research and development efforts within the organisation.
Donguy’s journey towards honing her project management skills began in the cosmetics industry where she was the marketing manager for segments including fine fragrance, skin care, and haircare. This four-year stint allowed her to foster an understanding of marketing, communication and sales.
Given her expertise in the world of horology, we ask what stood out for her among this year’s novelties. Without hesitation, she selects the Traditionnelle tourbillon retrograde date open face, which is an expression of an avant-garde aesthetic. She explains: “The open face and 3D effect of the dial — this was unexpected. It features a lot of Vacheron Constantin's watchmaking heritage.” At Vacheron Constantin, special retrograde displays first became popular in the 1920s, a period when the maison distinguished itself by a style inspired by the aesthetic principles of Art Deco, conducive to letting the imagination roam free and expressing wildly extravagant touches.
This year’s iteration consists of a stepped round case and lugs, a fluted caseback, a slim bezel, a railway minute-track, bi-facetted Dauphine hands, and gold baton-type hour-markers: the characteristic attributes of the Traditionnelle collection. The open-worked sapphire dial, which also has a guilloché segment, reveals in-house Calibre 2162 R31, whose retrograde mechanism plate is highlighted by a slate grey surface treatment, achieved by a succession of thin galvanic layers.
Beating at a rate of 18,000 vibrations per hour and measuring just 6.25mm thick, Calibre 2162 R31 combines a retrograde date with a tourbillon. This unexpected match is embodied in a technical geometry of rare beauty with a retrograde mechanism that is viewed through the open-worked dial. Other beautiful touches include the vertical hand-brushing on the upper part, its surface having been smoothed with a dedicated abrasive serving to create subtle light effects, as well as a hand-guilloché lower part. The retrograde date display, complemented by a tourbillon, thus gains added depth in an ultra-contemporary yet very watchmaking style.
At the close of the interview, we ask Donguy what she would do to destress after the exhibition. “Definitely spending time with my 13-year-old daughter who is involved in equestrian competitions as a skilled rider. I love horses too, and nothing gives me more pleasure than spending time cleaning and grooming horses,” she says.
Undoubtedly, this will provide her with more time to strategise her marketing plans for Vacheron Constantin for the upcoming years. We look forward to another opportunity to reconnect with her and learn more about her future plans.
See also: Defying traditions
Patrimony retrograde day-date
The crowd-pleaser at this year's Watches & Wonders 2023 is undoubtedly the timepiece with a captivating salmon-coloured dial encased within a 42.5mm diameter in a 950 platinum case.
Adorning the dial just below the 12 o'clock hour marker is a meticulously crafted faceted Maltese cross in relief. For this signature platinum case and salmon-coloured dial, the cross is fashioned from 18K 5N pink gold, exhibiting facets that are sandblasted on one side and polished on the other — a unique interpretation of the Vacheron Constantin symbol.
The watch features two retrograde indications, for day and date, with blued steel hands in as per time-honoured traditions. The hours and minutes are elegantly presented in 18K white gold. Paying homage to the classic style of the 1950s, these hands have a subtle curvature, mirroring the shape of the domed dial highlighting a play of reflections.
