VACHERON CONSTANTIN : Doubly historical !

Triple Calendar 1942

CASE : stainless steel, case middle with triple gadroon, sapphire crystal caseback, water-resistant to 30m

MOVEMENT : mechanical hand-wound (Caliber 4400QC, 65h power reserve), 225 components, Hallmark of Geneva

FUNCTIONS : hours, minutes, small seconds, aperture-type month and day of the week display, pointer-type date indication

DIAL : silver-toned with sunburst finish, burgundy or blue painted calendar indications

STRAP : hand-sewn, saddle-finish blue or chestnut brown alligator leather, large square scales, pin buckle

Among the ten product lines that Vacheron Constantin has been enriching at an increasingly fast pace in recent years, the Historiques collection revisits the brand heritage (more than 260 years of expertise) in a manner that is extremely appealing to a new clientele. And perhaps, paradoxically, in a more contemporary spirit. Is it natural for an authentically traditional brand such as Vacheron Constantin to succumb to the siren song of the vintage trend that is in great demand among a new generation of watch buyers ? And to offer its Triple Calendar 1942 watch with a stainless steel exterior that makes it accessible to younger haute horlogerie aficionados ? Although it will be five years before the relevance of this strategic new shift – that should be confirmed at the SIHH 2018 – can be properly appraised, Vacheron Constantin is showing itself capable of adjusting to the mood of the moment and reaching out to a new segment of fine mechanical watch-lovers. The most important thing is indeed to preserve both its credibility and its powers of seduction : not only through high-quality technical content based on a Manufacture caliber bearing the highly demanding Hallmark of Geneva, but also by showing respect for the vintage DNA expressed on the triple-gadroon case middle and the claw-shaped spring-bars. As the icing on the cake, this new model in the Historiques collection comes in two dial versions providing a genuine aesthetic alternative.

Brice Lechevalier is editor-in-chief of GMT and Skippers, which he co-founded in 2000 and 2001 respectively. He has also been CEO of WorldTempus since it joined the GMT Publishing stable, of which he is director and joint shareholder. In 2012 he created the Geneva Watch Tour, and he has been an advisor to the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève since 2011. Also closely involved in sailing, he has published the magazine of the Société Nautique de Genève since 2003, and was one of the founders of the SUI Sailing Awards in 2009 and the Concours d’Elégance for motor boats at the Cannes Yachting Festival in 2015.

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