Beijing exhibition highlights Vacheron Constantin luxury and vintage timepieces

Head over to Beijing's Capital Museum of China if you are serious about your mechanical watches. More than 350 exhibits, including antique clocks, pocket watches, wristwatches, watchmaking tools and equipment, are on display at the museum for the "Geneva at the Heart of Time" exhibition.

Organised by the Capital Museum in collaboration with Geneva's Museum of Art and History and Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Vacheron Constantin, the exhibition showcases the craftsmanship, know-how and heritage behind some of the most complicated timepieces ever made. Vacheron Constantin contributed more than 80 exclusive pieces from its archives, including the first-known pocket watch created by Jean-Marc Vacheron who founded the brand.

To help visitors better understand the watchmaking culture, organisers reconstructed an 18th century Geneva cabinotiers workshop that was depicted in a painting from Geneva's Museum of Art and History. Veteran artisans were flown in from Geneva to demonstrate their craft in different aspects of watchmaking, such as enamelling, gem-setting, engraving and guilloche work. The exhibition runs until August 12.