Sophisticated and Sporty: Meet Vacheron Constantin's Overseas Grand Complication Openface
Vacheron Constantin is once again turning heads with the Overseas Grand Complication Openface— the first minute repeater in the luxury sports watches collection, reinvented in 2016 to be an everyday companion. Seamlessly combining three of high horology’s most revered complications— a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar and a tourbillon— within a titanium case with a water-resistance rating up to 3 bar, the grand complication showcases the manufacture’s ability to combine mechanical complexity with everyday wearability. There is also a power reserve indicator integrated into the back of the watch. As the name suggests, the openworked dial serves to showcase its technical prowess, with some of its most fascinating details on full display.
At the heart of the Overseas Grand Complication Openface beats the caliber 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 caliber with a frequency of 2.5 Hz (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 the 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.
It goes without saying that the entire caliber 2755 QP with rhodium-plated wheels and NAC treatment reveals aesthetic finishes in accordance with Hallmark of Geneva certification. The highlights are mirror-polished hammers, the hand-bevelled tourbillon bridges, and Geneva Waves on the anthracite main plate.
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 exceptional technical achievement—required over a year of research and a complete reengineering of the Overseas case back 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 Oversea lines, measuring 44.5 mm in diameter and 13.1 mm thick.
While it's hard to look away from the beautiful movement, the open-worked dial is a feast for the eyes too. In order to display the movement's upper side, it is crafted from sapphire crystal. Suspended 18K white gold hour markers appear to float, while blue metallized sub dials 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.
Pricing is available upon request.
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