A vacuum switching apparatus (2; 22) comprising: a vacuum envelope (4; 24); a fixed contact assembly (6; 26) partially within said vacuum envelope; a first movable contact assembly (8; 28) partially within said vacuum envelope; a second movable contact assembly (10; 30) partially within said vacuum envelope; a first bellows (12; 32) within said vacuum envelope, said first bellows including a first end and a second end; and a second bellows (14; 34) within said vacuum envelope, said second bellows including a first end and a second end; wherein said first movable contact assembly comprises a first movable contact and a first movable contact stem; wherein said second movable contact assembly comprises a second movable contact and a second movable contact stem; wherein the first end of said first bellows (12; 32) is coupled to said vacuum envelope (4; 24) and the second end of said first bellows is coupled to said first movable contact stem; wherein the first end of said second bellows (14; 34) is coupled to said first movable contact stem and the second end of said second bellows is coupled to said second movable contact stem, and wherein said vacuum switching apparatus is structured to move between a closed contact position in which the first movable contact (8; 28) and the second movable contact (10; 30) electrically engage the fixed contact assembly (6; 26), and an open contact position in which the first movable contact (8; 28) and the second movable contact (10; 30) are electrically disengaged from the fixed contact assembly (6; 26), wherein the first movable contact (8; 28) is disposed external the second movable contact (10; 30), characterized in that when said vacuum switching apparatus moves from the closed contact position toward the open contact position, the first movable contact (8; 28) disengages the fixed contact assembly (6; 26) before the second movable contact (10; 30) disengages the fixed contact assembly (6; 26). a vacuum envelope (4; 24); a fixed contact assembly (6; 26) partially within said vacuum envelope; a first movable contact assembly (8; 28) partially within said vacuum envelope; a second movable contact assembly (10; 30) partially within said vacuum envelope; a first bellows (12; 32) within said vacuum envelope, said first bellows including a first end and a second end; and a second bellows (14; 34) within said vacuum envelope, said second bellows including a first end and a second end; wherein said first movable contact assembly comprises a first movable contact and a first movable contact stem; wherein said second movable contact assembly comprises a second movable contact and a second movable contact stem; wherein the first end of said first bellows (12; 32) is coupled to said vacuum envelope (4; 24) and the second end of said first bellows is coupled to said first movable contact stem; wherein the first end of said second bellows (14; 34) is coupled to said first movable contact stem and the second end of said second bellows is coupled to said second movable contact stem, and wherein said vacuum switching apparatus is structured to move between a closed contact position in which the first movable contact (8; 28) and the second movable contact (10; 30) electrically engage the fixed contact assembly (6; 26), and an open contact position in which the first movable contact (8; 28) and the second movable contact (10; 30) are electrically disengaged from the fixed contact assembly (6; 26), wherein the first movable contact (8; 28) is disposed external the second movable contact (10; 30), characterized in that when said vacuum switching apparatus moves from the closed contact position toward the open contact position, the first movable contact (8; 28) disengages the fixed contact assembly (6; 26) before the second movable contact (10; 30) disengages the fixed contact assembly (6; 26).