Vacheron Constantin

Vacheron Constantin is the world's oldest continuously operating watchmaker (1755), surviving 269 years through a strategy most modern companies can't comprehend: accepting near-death to maintain heritage. The company nearly collapsed during the quartz crisis (1970s-80s), shrinking to skeleton operations rather than diluting quality or pursuing volume. This willingness to contract - metabolic reduction without death - allowed preservation of master craftsmen and traditional techniques that would take decades to recreate. When luxury watch demand resurged in the 2000s, Vacheron's 250+ year heritage became impossible for newcomers to replicate. Now part of Richemont (acquired 1996), the brand commands $50K-$2M per watch. The insight: in heritage businesses, surviving the valley matters more than optimizing the peak.