Watch Journal Vacheron Constantin
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WJ20_Cover_white2.indd 1 88 RUE DU RHONE : BACKES & STRAUSS BALL power manufacture movement. extraordinary powerreserveinthisnew B ELL & ROSS | T WATCHJOURNAL. B LANCPAIN V RA B REG UET ACH DI BREMONT Four springbarrelsprovide T CARL F. BUCHERER E I RON ONN CLERC CVSTOS C E DIOR ON LL LOUIS ERARD E D S F.P. JOURNE TANT F ORTIS CO FRANCK MULLER A I M Y T G ERG É N P G EVRIL OUR ATR G IO MONACO G IULIANO MAZZUOLI BI IM [ G RAHAM LONDON LLON ON G RIEB & BENZING ER Y G UCCI JOURNA H AMILTON IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN JACOB & CO. JAEG ER-LECOULTRE KORLOFF heritage from historicalVacheronConstantinpocketwatches. L UMINOX MAURICE LACROIX MECCANICHE VELOCI MILUS MONTBLANC Elements ofthedialtakeinspiration MOTOART MÜHLE G LASHÜTTE ORBITA L P ANERAI PATEK PHILIPPE ] PERRELET ™ PIAG ET PIERRE KUNZ RALPH LAUREN ROG ER DUBUIS TH legendary know-how. and anopentourbillondisplaythemaker’s technique S EIKO E SISU WATCH TAG HEUER U L Y SSE N ARDIN UNDERWOOD LONDON M V ACHERON C ONSTANTIN A Impeccable finishing VAN CLEEF & ARPELS G A WEMPE ZI N E R EDEFI 10/29/12 3:51 PM N ED TRUECLASSIC THE STORIED PAST AND VIBRANT FUTURE OF VACHERON CONSTANTIN CAPTURED IN A NEW TOURBILLON BY KEITH W. STRANDBERG With “classical” and “understated” trending as watch styles recently, many brands have scrambled to produce watches that fit the bill. Vacheron Constantin, however, has been crafting authentically classic timepieces for more than 250 years. Reinforcing its legacy, Vacheron Constantin this year introduced the Patrimony Traditionnelle 14-day Tourbillon, a combination of traditional high watchmaking and, at the same time, a dis- tinctly modern approach to horology. Notably, this watch is the fi rst from Vacheron Constantin to comply with the new Geneva Seal requirements, signaling the future for the Geneva-based high watchmaking manufacture. Maltese cross–shaped tourbillon carriage of the hand- fi nished manufacture Caliber 2260 091 : | WATCHJOURNAL.COM “I REMEMBER MY GRANDFATHER WHO WAS A GREAT WATCHMAKER TALKING TO ME ABOUT THE TOURBILLON WITH RESPECT IN HIS VOICE.” Christian Selmoni artistic director, Vacheron Constantin IMPORTANCE OF PATRIMONY The new time- Making a tourbillon is nothing new for piece uses a new Vacheron Constantin, and, today, more com- manufacture movement panies are making tourbillons than at any with four spring barrels, which other time in the history of watchmaking. So, produce 14 days (approximately 336 it wouldn’t make sense for the new Patrimony hours) of power reserve. Mounted in Traditionnelle 14-day Tourbillon to be “just” coupled pairs, the barrels unwind simultane- a tourbillon. ously, only four times as slowly as a single “If we look at the market for tourbillon barrel would. Together, their total spring length watches, we see 150 or more companies that exceeds 2 meters—all packed into a movement make tourbillons,” says Christian Selmoni, of just 29.1 mm in diameter—and this controlled artistic director, Vacheron Constantin. “The release of energy results in greater stability in tourbillon is a mythical complication that was timekeeping. “This is a high-end tourbillon; it extremely di cult to build before the com- contains a great deal of watchmaking know- puter era. I remember my grandfather, who how inside,” Selmoni continues. “The four bar- was a great watchmaker, talking to me about rels are giving energy at the same time. This the tourbillon with respect in his voice. Of is a system that o ers better regularity for course, now, the tourbillon is much easier to torque in the movement. And because this is design and manufacture than it was 100 years a Vacheron Constantin tourbillon, the fi nishing ago. So, for this watch, we wanted to introduce is impeccable. We put a lot of e ort into the a classical, round tourbillon but with some- hand-fi nishing, because this is the ultimate in The 42-mm Patrimony Traditionnelle 14-day Tourbillon in thing di erent, and we decided to add a very high-end watchmaking. Everything is packed 5N rose gold with alligator strap long power reserve.” into a very pure, simple, elegant design.” 092 : | WATCHJOURNAL.COM HIGH CALIBER Vacheron Constantin’s latest tourbillon uses the maker’s new Caliber 2260. Devel- oped and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin, this 13-ligne caliber comprises 231 parts. Its architecture features two large bridges (instead of three, as in earlier Vacheron Constantin tourbillons). The larger bridge surfaces allow lavish fi nishing, including Côtes de Genève engraving. The tourbillon carriage is inspired by the brand’s signature Maltese cross and provides a splendid show- case for the exceptional level of fi nishing of each SEAL OF QUALITY covers the entire watch, including a pre- movement part, including a In the past, the Geneva Seal, also known cision standard.” number of interior angles, as the Geneva Hallmark, was primarily a For watch lovers, the new Geneva Seal all naturally hand-beveled. fi nishing standard, the fl aw in the certifi - encompasses it all—precision, attention The rounding off of the cation being that, under the old regime, a to detail and the highest level of hand- tourbillon bar alone requires non-functioning watch could theoretically fi nishing. “The Geneva Seal is crucial more than 11 hours of manual craftsmanship. qualify to receive the Geneva Seal. Well, for customers,” says Hugues de Pins, no more. The Geneva Seal has made president of Vacheron Constantin North some signifi cant changes, adding preci- America. “Everyone says ‘we are Swiss sion testing, similar to that of the COSC, made,’ but the meaning of Swiss made although more demanding. can be unclear. We have been committed “For us, the Geneva Hallmark is since the beginning of the Geneva Seal, something important,” says Selmoni. and we have always respected the stan- “This label was created 126 years ago dards. We are able to explain what the cri- to protect the name of Geneva. Be- teria for the Geneva Seal are, and why it cause the criteria are so demanding, is more and more challenging to be certi- the Geneva Seal gives a lot of credit to fi ed. In the end, the Geneva Seal is a very our watchmaking. This is a third-party strong argument ensuring exceptional certification, so it gives us a lot of cred- quality and the highest level of traditional ibility. Also, it’s great that the Seal now hand-fi nishing for the customer.” 094 : | WATCHJOURNAL.COM "WE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE GENEVA SEAL AND WE HAVE ALWAYS RESPECTED THE STANDARDS." Hugues de Pins president of Vacheron Constantin North America SELFSUFFICIENCY Currently, about 80 percent of Vacheron Constantin watches are POWER TO SPARE equipped with in-house movements (for the remaining roughly 20 percent, in a few models, the maker currently uses Jaeger- Inspired by historical pocket LeCoultre and Frédéric Piguet movements), but the goal is for watches from Vacheron 100 percent of Vacheron Constantin’s production to use in-house Constantin’s past, the silver- movements and for each watch to earn Geneva Seal status. toned opaline dial of the Patrimony Traditionnelle As a classically styled tourbillon in the grandest tradition of 14-day Tourbillon places high horology, the new Patrimony Traditionnelle 14-day Tourbil- the power reserve indicator lon with its manufacture movement and extraordinary power re- at 12. The 280° segment is serve ushers in the new era and symbolizes both the storied past designed for enhanced leg- and the vibrant future of Vacheron Constantin. ibility, so the state of wind is vacheron-constantin.com discernible at a glance. 096 : | WATCHJOURNAL.COM.