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 With years on the map of the world are less “white” spots. A person got the most inner corners of the world, and it seemed there are no secrets and opportunities to discover something new. Though, every year in different corners of the Planet found new animals and plants.
The same in watch industry: people use this housewares for centuries, improve and innovate movements, equipped it with additional functions. Manufacture Vacheron Constantin decided to remain people that how any traveling begins with itinerary and learning the map, such watchmakers create different novelties, building on experience and archive drawings, which have more than ten years. May be that is why was decided to produce wristwatches, dedicated to cartographer Gerard Kremer.
The scientist was born in Flandre in 1512. Kremer was a geographer by education, also known as engraver. Though, real fame he got by maps and globes with his own making. The main achievement of Kremer was created by him in 1569 conformal cylindrical projection, which is necessary for composing accurate navigation map of the world. With the help of this revolutionary revelation they managed to escape the deformation of forms and corners, which were while moving the image with spherical surface of the globe to plane. The distances keep in the area of equator. Nowadays, it is still used, mainly for composing maps of marine and aviation navigation. The name of Kremer in Latin transcription (Mercator) became the part of names of many maps companies.
Wristwatches Gerard Mercator Double Retrograde, dedicated to 400 anniversary of Gerard Kremer death, manufacture Vacheron Constantin in 1994 opened collection Patrimony. In it masters of company decided to open the traveling theme, but not funny, and have value for science. Dial Gerard Mercator Double Retrograde is enameled. It has map of the world made in technique champleve on it, made famous its creator Gerard Kremer. These wristwatches were made in 50 pieces. Masters of Vacheron Constantine are ready to fix in platinum case Gerard Mercator Double Retrograde the map of exact region, in which interested client.
Since 1405 till 1433 the head of diplomatic fleet of China Zheng He seven times went in travel around “West sea” to improve relations with another countries. This name as his surname he got from Emperor Yǒnglè , the side of which he got during meeting. In fact, ancestors of Zheng He were offspring from Mongolia. By birth he was named Ma He. Though, entered the service to Emperor, he refused from name and Islamic religious beliefs to Buddhism . Travelings of Zheng He and his “golden fleet” led to stripping insulation of China, during thousand years, and helped to improve relations with Hindustan, Indo-China, East Africa and Arabian peninsula.
In 2004, manufacture Vacheron Constantin celebrated this achievement by production of wristwatches Patrimony Tribute to Great Explorers Zheng He, dedicated to Chinese traveler. The same year his model was marked great pioneer Fernando Magallanes. This seafarer made trip around the world, though in fact, wanted to continue trip to Malay archipelago, which was called “spice island”. 20th of September 1519 from port Sanlúcar de Barrameda went fleet, which consisted from five vessels - “San-Antonio”, “Trinidad”, “Victoria”, “Santiago” and “Concepcion”. Sailors under the guidance of Magallanes searched south-western strait from Atlantic ocean. When fleet reached Pacific ocean, two ships were lost. The first in the history of trip around the world ended the only one surviving ship under the name of “Victoria”. Magallanes himself didn't saw his triumph – he was killed in Spring 1521 by raja's servant of Philippine Islands.
Though, manufacture Vacheron Constantin celebrated the achievement of sailor by production limited series of wristwatches Patrimony Fernand de Magellan in golden case. And Patrimony Tribute to Great Explorers Zheng He are equipped with function of “floating”  hour. In the lower part of case on which painted enamel map of traveling, there is window, in which, counting time, float numerals on the disc, mean time intervals.
Masters of Vacheron Constantin decided not to stop on it. The next model of Patrimony series they dedicated to Cristoforo Colombo – a man who was recognized as pioneer who opened America, and also became the first offspring from Europe, who reached waters of The Caribbean. In 1492 he convinced Isabel d'Aragón that he could find a way to Asia, which would give him opportunity to to capture the Holy Sepulchre. She was inspired with this idea that she laid the jewels and equipped an expedition. Though, instead of sanctity, Colombo came back with captured isles – Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti. Besides, he accidentally opened America, but didn't understand it.
The partner of Colombo in series Patrimony in 2008 became merchant from Venice Marco Polo. He became famous not just because of his traveling in 1275 from native village to China through Mesopotamia, Pamir and Kashgaria, but also itinerary, later gathered in treatise “The book of world diversity” gained popularity. Though it is not known for sure, if Marco Polo participated in travelings, or just wrote under impressions of other people. Though, in scientific environment “The book of world diversity” gained popularity. On the basis subsequently written over two thousand scientific papers.
Dedicated to this historical persons wristwatches Metiers d’Art Tribute to Great Explorers Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus also decorated with enameled maps on the dial and equipped with function of “floating” hour. In plans of Vacheron Constantin – the creation of eight models in this limited series. Thus, soon every desirous person can buy watches dedicated to these three great scientists.
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