As with a lot of other brands announcing their latest wares at the biggest event in the watch calendar, Vacheron Constantin has unveiled a sublime new collection of watches featuring some timely and worthwhile upgrades to existing fan-favourite models, as well as taking the cover off a very interesting world’s first timepiece.
The Overseas Goes Green
For the first time, the fan-favourite Vacheron Constantin Overseas is offering a green dial option to sit alongside the deep-blue, black, white, and open-worked variants that are already available.
It’s now also offered in a multitude of sizes and styles, for example the 35mm pink gold option with a gem-set bezel, the 41mm self-winding option with a date window and a 41mm dual time model. Vacheron is also offering the green Overseas in a 42.5mm chronograph, as well as with the option to add a green rubber strap for more green goodness alongside the dial, or a calfskin leather alternative for dressing the piece up.
A Titanium Tourbillion
As well as offering the Overseas in green for 2024, Vacheron Constantin has updated its highly expensive tourbillion variant with a titanium case. The striking blend of high-art watchmaking with a tourbillion on the Overseas’ classic deep blue lacquered, sunburst dial is packaged in a super light and durable case for taking the Overseas anywhere, within reason of course.
It also comes with slightly more rugged looks than some other Overseas models and offers three interchangeable straps - either a titanium bracelet, rubber band or calfskin leather option. This Overseas is powered by a self-winding Manufacture Calibre 2160 movement with 80 hours of power reserved and 30 jewels.
A World’s First with A Lot of Complications
The world’s first from Vacheron Constantin at this year’s Watches and Wonders comes with a watch titled as the world’s most complicated watch with the world's first Chinese perpetual calendar. The Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers The Berkley Grand Complication comes with a total of 63 complications and took eleven years of research and development to manufacture.
For reference, The Berkley Grand Complication offers 2877 components, with 245 jewels, 31 hands and 9 discs while offering a split-second chronograph, extremely accurate moonphase that needs no correction for 1027 years, alongside a retrograde small seconds, a Gregorian perpetual calendar, Chinese perpetual calendar, a Chinese agricultural perpetual calendar, alarm functions, a triple axis tourbillion and a Grande Sonnerie function, as well as both a quarter-striking mechanism and repeater for chime functionality. It also comes with a world time function and second time zone - this is, quite frankly, an insane watch.
It perhaps comes as no surprise that this is a unique piece, weighing 980g in total, while the 3752 movement comes with a 60-hour power reserve, and the case is made of 18K white gold and is 98mm in diameter and 50.55mm in thickness. A truly incredible piece.
The Return of The Grand Lady Kalla
Watches And Wonders 2024 has also seen Vacheron Constantin introduce a sublime jewellery watch inspired by the Kalla introduced back in 1980 with a piece that offers 57 facets emerald-cut diamonds alongside more diamonds, onyx pearls and Akoya on the pendant. For reference, this new Grand Lady Kalla comes with 268 diamonds, equal to more than 46 carats worth in total.
The case itself is crafted from 18K white gold and measures 19.4mm by 30.1mm, while the dial is fully paved with 14 emerald cut diamonds as well as hours and minute hands made of 18K white gold. As for the bracelet, the Grand Lady Kalla offers 105 emerald-cut diamonds, while the pendant on offer brings with it a white-silk necklace with 112 Akoya beads, 50 onyx beads and 16 brilliant-cut diamonds. Its clasp is 18K white gold with 88 brilliant-cut diamonds, and the tassel is also 18K white gold, this time coming with 18 brilliant-cut diamonds, a further 87 Akoya beads, a singular onyx bead and a piece of onyx, too.
A Manual-Wind Patrimony and Moon Phase Retrograde Date Model
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Vacheron has also extended the minimalistic Patrimony lineup with three new models, complete with silver-toned dials and brand-new strap colours to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The manual wind models have had their case trimmed to 39mm, and are offered in either white or pink gold, as well as offering a closed caseback which Vacheron says can be used for personal engraving. As for strap options, either olive-green or azure blue are offered and both watches are powered by a manual-wind Calibre 1440 movement with a 42-hour power reserve.
The moon-phase retrograde date model instead comes with a 42.5mm white gold case and is offered on the olive-green alligator strap alongside a silver-toned dial, similar to the smaller, more standard options. Its moon-phase complication is present at six o’clock with convenient markers throughout the moon’s cycle, while the retrograde date display is present across the top half of the dial. This particular Patrimony is powered by a self-winding in-house Calibre 2460 R31L movement with 27 jewels and 40 hours of power reserve.
A True Collector’s Chronograph
The Traditionelle tourbillion chronograph has also been unveiled with its fetching dark blue alligator leather strap, as well as a case and dial comprised of 950-grade platinum. This is a gorgeous watch, and my personal pick from Vacheron’s offerings from Watches and Wonders 2024. In a limited edition of 50, the Traditionelle tourbillion chronograph features a mono-pusher chronograph and tourbillion regulator designed to not only offer reliable movement but also for extra flair and class.
It takes high-class watchmaking and packages it into a classy and elegant package with all of its main elements made of 950-grade platinum, while the dial is legible with its sand-blasted platinum construction, railway-type minute track and dainty Dauphine hands. The Traditionelle tourbillion chronograph also offers a marvellous Calibre 3200 in-house movement, which is just 6.7mm thick and provides 39 jewels and a 65-hour power reserve.
A Sublime Concept Collaboration
Finally, Vacheron Constantin has also unveiled a concept watch in collaboration with Yiqing Yin, a noted Chinese fashion designer known for her Haute Couture designs. This watch, known as the Egerie - The Pleats of Time, combines high watchmaking and fashion, alongside high-class perfumery to create a watch unlike anything else available. This is a watch that offers an 18.5K pink fold case that’s 37mm in diameter, while the bezel is set with 58-round cut diamonds and the crown comes with its own set moonstone.
As for the dial, that is a lilac mother-of-pearl dial with a pleated pattern that draws your eye in, while it also comes with an 18.5K pink gold ring at 2 o’clock with 34 round-cut diamonds, and a 18K gold minute track, too. The moon inside the gold ring at two is made of 18K 5N pink gold, while the clouds are mother-of-pearl.
The Egerie - The Pleats of Time’s strap is scented, with a custom scent developed by Dominique Robion to complement the watch. The strap itself is made of calfskin leather and is in-laid with mother-of-pearl fragments for contrast. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is a piece unique.
Conclusions
Vacheron Constantin has certainly offered a wide array of pieces at this year’s Watches and Wonders, offering an excellent mix of high-class watchmaking with models that will benefit their more general lineup, such as offering the Overseas in green and a new set of Patrimony models. This is a marvellous setup befitting of one of the world’s best watchmakers.
