Vacheron Constantin Mercator

Mercator is a wristwatch by Vacheron Constantin.

1994 at the 400th death anniversary of the mathematician, philosopher, geographer and cartographer Gerhard Kremer (1512-1594), better known today under the name Mercator, a jubilee watch was launched that looked different from all the previously known wristwatches. The enameled dial showed a former map by Mercator with Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, above which moved two hands in the form of a card circle that indicated the current time via retrograde hours or minutes.

The special edition Mercator America with platinum case, which reproduced a map image of America, was produced in an edition of only 12 pieces.

The production of these watches requires an unusually big effort. So during the production of the enamel dial the colors are introduced individually, pigment by pigment, with an extremely fine brush consisting of two sable hairs, into punctate depressions that have been created in a plate made of 22ct gold. The enamelling process then requires 35 heatings to 700-800°C in an oven and other post-processing steps. Overall, the production of such a map display takes twelve whole days.

The watches are now a sought-after commercial object at auctions. Its price amounted at the beginning to approximately $47,500 USD and in the meantime reaches up to $60,000.

• Das ZEITGEFÜHL-Uhrenbuch; Author Gerd-Lothar Reschke; ISBN 3-938607-61-0