During the preview of the “Masques à Démasquer” exhibition, held on Tuesday, February 21st at the Barbier-Mueller Museum in Geneva, the French Ambassador to Switzerland, in 

the name of the French Minister of Culture and Communication,  appointed Juan Carlos 

Torres, CEO of the Manufacture Vacheron Constantin, a  “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et 

des Lettres” (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters). This distinction was awarded to a man 

who for years has committed himself, both on a personal level as well as on behalf of the 

company he leads, to  promoting the world of arts and culture that represents the very

foundations of knowledge and therefore the source of true progress. 

 

Whether through patronage or partnerships, many institutions benefit from this backing, 

including the Paris Opera, the Barbier-Mueller Museum, the Barbier-Mueller Museum 

Cultural Foundation to bear witness to cultures, along with other Swiss and international 

museums. Under the impetus of Juan Carlos Torres, the Manufacture Vacheron Constantin 

is also strongly involved in the promotion of watchmaking artistic crafts and, in support of 

the French National Institute of Artistic Crafts, plays an active role in preparations for the

future European Study Days on the Artistic Crafts.