Pictures by Ripley Sellers and Ariel Adams
Celebrating anniversaries is considerably of a joke in watches. Manufacturers appear prepared to have a good time any anniversary, regardless of how legitimately vital. I believe we are able to all agree that it goes 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 75, 100, after which goes by 50s. These are the official product anniversaries (Please don’t overlook your wedding ceremony anniversary — that’s yearly). However with watches, you may have a good time any anniversary you need. We’ve seen thirty fifth, fifty fifth, seventieth, one hundred and tenth, and one hundred and ninetieth anniversaries, all completely ignoring societal norms and celebratory requirements. I want I might say this evaluation was about watches that buck the horological nightmare of anniversary releases, nevertheless it’s not. That is about three watches from Vacheron Constantin in celebration of its 270th anniversary: the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Full Calendar Openface, the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date Openface, and the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface.
All of those watches are legitimately spectacular, lovely horological artworks, however just one is model new. The 2 watches instantly above, the Tourbillon Retrograde Date and the Full Calendar, are each current fashions, although with some slight alterations. The Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date, seen on the high of the article, is a brand new watch with a brand new caliber. The most important distinction between the outdated fashions and these new open-face fashions isn’t truly the dial; it’s the platinum case, which hasn’t been supplied earlier than for these. All of the watches are 41mm and, as such, put on fairly properly on the wrist, with thicknesses of 10.94mm for the Perpetual, 11.05 for the Full, and 11.07 for the Tourbillon. On the highest finish of watches, nobody would ever name these particularly skinny, however taking a bigger view, the thickness-to-craziness quotient is superb right here. On the wrist, the platinum provides them a heavy really feel, however glancing down on the wrist corrects your mind from its errant huge watch worries. The watches all come on a blue alligator strap with a platinum folding clasp, and never that it issues with these watches, however they’re all rated to 30m of water resistance. Splash fastidiously, my mates.
You’d assume that given the particular “Openface” title, the watch dials could be totally different from the prevailing fashions. Effectively, you’d be mistaken. The one factor really distinctive to those fashions is the engraved 270th sample and Maltese cross on the elements of the dial that stay from the open-working. The Full Calendar is in any other case an identical to the present white and pink gold fashions, and the Tourbillon merely has extra precise dial overlaying issues up than its pink-gold counterpart. Each the Perpetual and the Full make the most of sapphire discs for the month and day, which proved exhausting to learn on the wrist. On high of that, neither date indicator stands out properly sufficient round its complete arc to at all times be legible. That’s why the Tourbillon emerged as the favourite. Not solely does it have the very best legibility, nevertheless it additionally has probably the most open face. The highest half of the dial exhibits loads of mechanics however not litter. It virtually has an AkriviA look in that regard. The dial can also be the least busy, making the 207th engraving much less of an eyesore, particularly because the Maltese cross sits properly subsequent to the tourbillon with the identical design.
Three totally different watches imply three totally different actions. All of them are completed to Vacheron’s typical exacting requirements, that includes its new arced côte distinctive brushing and a particular 270th-anniversary Maltese cross. The model is making a stink about this new côte distinctive ending on the bridges, nevertheless it simply looks as if lazy brushing. (I’m certain it isn’t, however extra conventional striping has higher visible attraction.) Under, you may see the Full Calendar’s 2560 QCL/270 (left) and the Perpetual’s 2460 QPR31/270 (proper), each of that are 27-jewel actions with 40 hours of energy at 28,800 vph. The Tourbillon mannequin seen above has a much more engaging, virtually minimalist design and a peripheral rotor to indicate it off. What’s extra, it’s bought 30 jewels and a 72-hour energy reserve at 18,000 vph.
Not solely are they celebrating a ridiculous anniversary, however not a single one is a sandwich, making Openface very deceptive. However I digress. It is a high-quality tribute of watches and a becoming tribute to 270 years. The Tourbillon is the clear winner, and I received’t hear in any other case. The Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Full Calendar Openface (Ref. 4020T/000P-H038) is priced at $69,500 USD and restricted to 270 items, the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date Openface (Ref. 4030T/000P-H054) is priced at $107,000 USD and restricted to 270 items, and the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface is indicated as “Worth upon Request” (however anticipated to be $170,000+) and restricted to 370 items. For extra info, please go to the Vacheron Constantin web site.
