WatchTime New York, America’s largest luxury watch show, is less than a month away! As we continue our countdown to the big event, taking place at Manhattan’s Gotham Hall on October 26-27, we continue to showcase notable new timepieces that guests will discover there. Today we turn the spotlight on the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Collection Excellence Platine, which debuted at SIHH 2018.
Limited to 100 pieces, the timepiece joins Vacheron’s Collection Excellence Platine series, notable for its use of platinum — the most prestigious of horology’s precious metals — for everything from the watches’ cases to their dials to their buckles, and even the topstitching on their leather straps. The Complete Calendar’s 41-mm case is constructed of 950 platinum, with a sapphire crystal covering a sand-blasted dial made of the same material, and identified as such by the subtle “Pt950” inscription between 4 and 5 o’clock, a hallmark of all the pieces in the platinum collection. Like other models in the brand’s classically designed Traditionnelle series, its case and lugs are in the “Étage” style and the caseback, fitted with a sapphire window to view the movement, has a fluted edge. Other telltale elements of the collection are on the dial, including the railway-type minute track, dauphine hour and minute hands, and “bâtons de Genève” hour markers. The hands and hour appliqués are double faceted and made of 18k white gold.
The dial makes judicious use of dark blue for its calendar indications — blue Arabic numerals for the date and month (in twin apertures directly across from each other opposite edges of the dial) and a blue center-mounted, crescent-moon-tipped pointer hand for the date, which is displayed on a 1-to-31 scale with blue Arabic numerals on the dial’s periphery. The moon-phase indication, in an aperture at 6 o’clock, features a platinum moon disk and has been engineered to be highly precise — requiring just one adjustment every 122 years as compared to simpler moon-phase complications, which require adjustments every three years. The “age of the moon” is calculated on a 1-to-29 1/2-day scale encircling the aperture.
All of these functions are powered by Vacheron Constantin’s manufacture Caliber 2460 QCL, a 308-piece self-winding movement that features a 22k gold rotor, decorated with a barleycorn motif, as well as a host of other haute horlogerie finishes on the bridges and plates. Fully wound, the 28,800-vph movement stores a 40-hour power reserve. Like all Vacheron Constantin movements, this caliber is stamped with the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva, attesting to its technical excellence and high level of hand finishing.
The Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Collection Excellence Platine — whose dark blue alligator leather strap continues the platinum motif with actual platinum threads used for the contrast stitching — will be priced at $68,500.
Interested in viewing the new Traditionnelle Complete Calendar — along with other just-released models from Vacheron Constantin, including the new FiftySix series — up close and in person? Then don’t miss out on attending WatchTime New York this October! Tickets are going fast; order yours here.
Very nice .. thanks