As Vacheron Constantin continued to grow their international reputation, they decided to adopt the Maltese Cross as an emblem of the brand in 1890. However, they remained equally dedicated to their Swiss roots. In 1901, they proudly accepted the honor of becoming the first watchmaker to receive the iconic Hallmark of Geneva. Yet, there were challenges ahead for the first time in the brand's storied history. Vacheron Constantin took a hit during the Great Depression. By 1940, the Constantin family had lost their majority stake in the company. With that, the brand's 185 years of family leadership came to an end.
A holding company who managed Jaeger-LeCoultre acquired Vacheron Constantin with Georges Ketterer at its head. Shortly after, the brand celebrated their monumental 200th anniversary in 1955. To commemorate the occasion, they released the Caliber 1003, the world's thinnest manually wound caliber. Two years later, they launched a classically styled dress watch that laid the foundation for collections like the Patrimony. After roughly fifteen years of leadership, Ketterer passed away and his son Jacques took his place. He went on to oversee the company for the next two decades.
In 1996, Vacheron Constantin changed leadership once more when the Richemont Group purchased the brand. Under the umbrella of Richemont, the brand launched some of their most beloved collections. Drawing from their dress watches of the 1950s, they developed the Patrimony line in 2000. Three years later, they introduced the Overseas. In 2005, Vacheron Constantin hit their impressive 250th anniversary for which they created the Tour de I'lle. This incredible timepiece boasts a whopping sixteen complications and 834 parts. Then, in 2007, they debuted the Metiers d'Art collection.
In more recent years, Vacheron Constantin has continued to be a formidable force in the industry. In 2019 alone, they released two spectacular new models in the Overseas collection: a tourbillon and an ultra-thin perpetual calendar. Later that year, they also released the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual calendar, which features an astonishing 65-day power reserve.