He was a close friend of leading Enlightenment philosophers Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire due to their common interests in philosophy, science and watchmaking.
[4] Vacheron opened his watch shop in 1755.
[4] His timepieces naturally bore the name "Jean-Marc Vacheron".
At that time he was 24 years old and was one of many cabinotiers-watchmakers who specialized in the production of certain components, selling them to so-called etablisseurs.
(The watchmakers were called cabinotiers in honor of the well-lit cabinets on the top floors of the houses in Geneva's Saint-Gervais neighborhood, where they worked.