Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas collection has enriched its range with a new territory to explore. Hadag examines this sophisticated masterpiece…
The prestige of a precious metal case and bracelet is now complemented by the extreme elegance of an openworked movement that is also ultra-thin and houses a perpetual calendar, giving the timepiece a contemporary and horological classy look. In this new gold-clad version, Vacheron Constantin highlights the expression of Haute Horlogerie values. While retaining its dynamic design, the aesthetic of the timepiece is transfigured by a sapphire dial inviting observers on a journey to the heart of the extremely thin 4.05 mm open-worked perpetual calendar movement.
TRANSCENDING COMPLEXITY
Much appreciated by collectors for its reliability, its extreme precision and its performance, self-winding Calibre 1120 QPSQ is now joining the Overseas collection in a new guise. Entirely open-worked, which is a feat in itself, it reveals its mechanical intricacies beneath a sapphire crystal. The transparent caseback also stages a fascinating watchmaking show starring the gear trains and the NAC-treated oscillating weight with its segment in 22K gold, which is also open-worked for the first time in the Overseas collection so as to highlight its stylised design shaped like a Maltese cross.
Openworking (also called skeletonisation) is regarded by connoisseurs as a watchmaking complication in itself and is indeed a speciality during watchmaking training. This technique, which consists of finely openworking a mechanical movement by hollowing out its components yet without compromising their reliability, is an extremely complex undertaking: a quest for transparency coupled with highly sophisticated skills mastered by very few watchmaking artisans.
Today, Vacheron Constantin is one of the rare Manufactures capable of openworking calibres as complex as perpetual calendars and ultra-thin movements. All components of the 1120 QPSQ calibre have been hollowed out, finished and decorated, so as to exalt the functional beauty of the mechanism.
ARTISANAL EXPERTISE
To fully match the style of Overseas, the movement has benefited from special finishing work, entirely performed by hand. Multiple skills have thus come into play so as to endow the mechanism with the soughtafter aesthetic perfection. Straight-graining the surfaces to give them a satin-brushed finish; bevelling straight lines and curves to make the create light effects; circular brushing, sunburst finishing, circular-graining and polishing to ensure varied reliefs: while the use of all these ancestral craftsmanship techniques has served to highlight the beauty of the components, an anthracite grey shade obtained by means of an NAC electrolytic treatment gives the mechanism a very modern face.
The dial bears applied 18K 5N pink gold hour-markers, the Maltese cross emblem as well as day, date and monthcounter rings. This design ensures that the watch is perfectly legible while allowing the gaze to roam freely through the heart of the movement and admire its hand-crafted finishing.
PERSONALISATION FREEDOM
Like all models in the Overseas collection, this exceptional watch offers a modular touch via a simple and convenient bracelet/strap interchangeability system. Fitted with a gold bracelet whose satin-brushed half Maltese cross-shaped links underline the elegance of the timepiece, it also comes with two additional straps in blue alligator leather and blue rubber.
