An unconventional watch with twin retrograde hands in the form of a compass, the Vacheron Constantin Mercator was introduced in 1994, commemorating the 400th anniversary of Gerardus Mercator’s passing. When the CEO of Vacheron Constantin at the time, Claude-Daniel Proellochs, was presented with this idea, the executive was instantly captivated by the intriguing design and thus solidified their decade-long partnership in producing the Mercator. According to the archives, only 638 pieces were made in those 10 years, with a handful of different variants, depicting different corners of the globe. The Mercator dials are signed with “J&L Genbrugge”– an uncommon practice, considering brands have historically kept enamellers in the shadows. Much sought-after for its bi-retrograde time display, the centre piece of the watch is no doubt its dial, where art and history meet. Drawing from the Mercator Projection, the present example is numbered 10 of approximately 50 dials that depicts a beautifully hand-crafted cloisonné enamel dial of “Europa-Asia”. Exceptionally well-preserved and offered with its original accessories, the present Mercator is a true collectable, made for style-conscious connoisseurs of exotic and remarkable timepieces.