Vacheron Constantin is stepping up its 270th anniversary celebrations. After a slew of releases commemorating the occasion at Watches and Wonders this year, along with the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, the most complicated wristwatch ever made, the brand has now introduced an Overseas Grand Complication Openface in its Overseas collection. The watch features three high horology complications—a perpetual calendar, a tourbillon, and a minute repeater, which makes a debut in the collection.
At the heart of the Overseas Grand Complication Openface beats the Calibre 2755 QP, a manufacture movement that exemplifies the watchmaking excellence for which the Geneva brand has been renowned for 270 years. Measuring just 7.9mm in thickness, the hand-wound calibre with a frequency of 2.5Hz (18,000 vph) and comprising of 602 components, offers a power reserve of 58 hours despite its two sophisticated complications: The perpetual calendar mechanism which requires no correction before the year 2100 and the minute repeater that chimes time on demand with two hammers on two gongs.
To govern the cadence of the repeater mechanism, which strikes the hours, quarters and minutes, the maison’s watchmakers developed a proprietary device that ensures that the hammers are struck at the precise intervals required to obtain the correct musical sequences of the acoustic time announcement. This centripetal regulator features two centrifugal weights that act as a motor brake on the axis of rotation, smoothing the flow of energy released by the repeater spring.
Particular attention has been paid to the aesthetics of this governing device, which is visible through the sapphire caseback. An arc-shaped bar secures the regulator. Crafted in gold, its rounded form requires an entire day of expert hand-polishing. Beneath it, the circular-grained inertia weights are engraved with the initials of Jean-Marc Vacheron, who founded the brand in 1755.
The entire Calibre 2755 QP with rhodium-plated wheels and NAC treatment reveals aesthetic finishes in accordance with the Hallmark of Geneva certification. The highlights are mirror-polished hammers, the hand-bevelled tourbillon bridges, and Geneva Waves on the anthracite mainplate.
What distinguishes the Overseas Grand Complication Openface is not only the mechanical sophistication of its movement, but the ingenuity of its case made from titanium grade 5. Pressure tested to 3 bars—a rare feat for minute repeater watches and an exceptional technical achievement—required over a year of research and a complete reengineering of the Overseas caseback to create space for the minute repeater mechanism while maintaining the slender curves characteristic of the collection. Despite the increased complexity, it retains the signature Overseas lines, measuring 44.5 mm in diameter and 13.1mm thick.
While it’s hard to look away from the beautiful movement, the open-worked dial is a feast for the eyes too. Suspended 18K white gold hour markers appear to float, while blue metallised subdials display the various calendar functions, namely the weekday, month, and date. The leap years are shown on a small sapphire crystal dial at 1 o’clock. The tourbillon, whose cage takes the form of the Maltese cross, is prominently placed at 6 o’clock.
Like the other pieces in the collection, the model’s integrated titanium bracelet is interchangeable without tools. The watch, which will be produced in a limited edition, is supplied with two additional straps, one in blue alligator, one in blue rubber.
Price upon request.
This article first appeared in WatchTime.com
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