It is now a tradition for watchmakers to observe Chinese New Year by creating beautiful, decorative timepieces. The rooster is the eleventh sign of the 12-year zodiac cycle. According to Chinese astrology, the rooster is loyal and punctual – a great fit for a timepiece! Check out these pieces by Jaquet Droz, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget, Chopard, and Panerai.
Can a watch with a tourbillon clearly visible on the dial side ever be understated? Common sense says no, but for the Traditionnelle Minute Repeater Tourbillon, Vacheron Constantin says yes! Find out why Martin Green compares this watch new to the Geneva-based brand’s arsenal of classic timepieces to a Tesla P100D with ludicrous mode.
In the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Elegance Sartoriale collection the patterns are truly the stars of this collection, not just because they are taken right from the folds of fashion, but because they are all incredibly difficult to engrave due to their complex designs. Every single line is engraved by hand on a rose engine lathe using guilloché.
The Vacheron Constantin Overseas collection now includes a gorgeous world time model.
It all started with the aptly named 222, launched in 1977 on the occasion of Vacheron Constantin’s 222nd anniversary. In 1996, the Genevan brand came out with the Overseas line of sporty casual watches, a direct descendant.
On discovering the reinvigorated Vacheron Constantin Overseas collection at SIHH 2016, one thing I could not stop marveling over is how intelligent it is. Yes, I describe this new line as intelligent. The refresh, which includes five new models (for a total of 12 references) and an incredible new strap-changing system couldn’t have turned out better. Let’s examine why.
The monkey is the ninth sign of the 12-year zodiac cycle. According to Chinese astrology, monkeys are quick-witted and innovative, but also mischievous. The sign’s lucky colors are white, gold, and blue – all colors featured on these interesting timepieces except that last one we present. Check out these artistic beauties!
It’s already been six consecutive years that I’ve had the delightful experience of going through SIHH week with several of my closest friends. Our closing discussions centered around four questions, which were focused more tightly on SIHH itself this year due to the inclusion of nine independent watchmakers: what watch did you think was best of show at SIHH? What was the worst watch of the show? What watch displayed at the show would you buy if money were no object? What watch did you see on display that would you buy with your own money?
During the launch of the bombastic Reference 57260 on September 17, 2015, Vacheron Constantin launched a second rhapsodic item: the truly encyclopedic oeuvre ‘Artists Of Time.’ This beautifully photographed 456-page tome takes an extensive look at both the inner workings of Vacheron Constantin’s craftsmanship and its grandiose history, telling the whole story of the only Swiss watchmaker to have been in continuous operation for 260 years.
Among the many highlights of SalonQP 2015 was the “Inside a Second” exhibition of chronographs presented in partnership with the Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie. The exhibition included the George Daniels co-axial four-minute tourbillon with Daniels’ compact chronograph mechanism. And that would have been enough chronograph for me all by itself, but there were many more highlights.
On September 17, 2015 Vacheron Constantin presented a milestone in the history of timekeeping: Reference 57260, the world’s most complicated portable timepiece to date with an incredible 57 functions and indications. And to commemorate it, Vacheron Constantin released a very special film called “The Witnesses.”