Art lovers and watch lovers mingle inside the Vacheron Constantin Fifth Avenue boutique. |
NEW YORK — Vacheron Constantin’s jewel box of a boutique was aglow on a recent cool, crisp evening. Inside, art enthusiasts mingled with timepiece lovers within the lightly colored space highlighted with dark wood tones, straight lines and minimal furnishings.
The March 2 gathering then moved a couple blocks north to the 1900 French Renaissance building that houses The Lotos Club, one of the oldest private literary establishments in the U.S. The building and its uniformed staff begs formality even though inside it is a cozy and comfortable space. Books of every conceivable subject were stacked from nearly floor to ceiling in shelves around the main dining room where the guests had dinner.
The guest at The Lotos Club. |
The venerable Swiss luxury watch company held the gathering for two reasons:
First, it served as a preview for The Armory Show, an annual international contemporary and modern art fair that opened Thursday and runs till Sunday, in which Vacheron Constantin is a sponsor. Prior to dinner, Paul Morris, the founding director of the show, gave guests a preview of the art that will be on display and a presented a brief history of its modest beginnings at the former Gramercy Hotel to its move to the 69th Street Regiment Armory and finally to its current home at Piers 92 and 94.
Metiers D’Art Les Univers Infins Fish |
Patrimony Traditionnelle 14-Day Tourbillon |
Malte Small Seconds |
The timepieces, which were first unveiled two months earlier in Switzerland, were set up in displays throughout the dining room. Later they were presented on trays for the guests to view.