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Monochrome
With the festive season just around the corner, Vacheron Constantin lights up its Overseas Tourbillon with a blaze of baguette-set diamonds. First introduced to the brand’s successful luxury sports Overseas collection in 2019, the Tourbillon model boasts a slim profile thanks to the incorporation of Vacheron Constantin’s ultra-thin tourbillon calibre 2160. The latest Overseas Tourbillon […]
Time+Tide
Thought that diamonds on a watch cannot be tasteful? Think again.The post Vacheron Constantin applies subtle bling to the Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Zach's prayers have been answered with a new, smaller Overseas.The post The Vacheron Constantin Overseas 35mm untweaks my tourb for this reason… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Christened “Récits de Voyages”, the Les Cabinotiers line-up for 2023 is all about captivating narratives told through unique timepieces, each recounting the historical expansion of the brand across diverse geographies. One of them evokes the mid-19th century when Vacheron Constantin forged its first commercial ties in China, reflecting the profound significance of the country for watchmaking in that era. The Les Cabinotiers Grisaille High Jewellery “Dragon” pays homage to that historical relationship. This extraordinary timepiece features a grisaille enamel dial in green – the technique almost always relies on greys and blacks instead – that showcases the mythical five-clawed dragon, once the symbol of the Chinese emperor. The artisanal enamel dial is contained within a case fully set baguette-cut diamonds, alongside one of the thinnest self-winding movements ever, the cal. 1120. Initial thoughts The dial of the Les Cabinotiers Dragon showcases the grisaille technique that offers a distinct, high contrast and a clear focus on the mythical subject. Departing from the conventional grisaille approach of a monochromatic palette of greys, Vacheron Constantin opted for a unique twist by employing shaded green enamel to depict the majestic dragon. The colour manages to give the dragon more life than compared to a traditional black-and-grey grisaille dial, while still retaining the discreet elegance that is characteristic of the technique. The result is remarkable and...
Time+Tide
A yellow gold Patek Philippe ref. 1436 sold for A$450,000 - a big result for Australia, but how does that compare internationally?The post A 1946 Patek Philippe just became the highest-value watch ever sold in Australia appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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SJX Watches
Unveiled barely a week after the reasonably traditional Minute Repeater Alarm ref. 1938P, the Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater ref. 5260 is unexpected, over the top, and entirely logical. It’s available in two variants, the simpler ref. 5260/355R-001 on a strap and the no-expense-spared ref. 5260/1455R-001 that’s set with gemstones on practically every surface, even the hour and minute hands. Now the most expensive ladies’ watch in the Patek Philippe catalogue – the ref. 5260/1455R-001 on bracelet costs CHF2.5 million with taxes – the ref. 5260 is a first in several ways. It’s the first Patek Philippe sports model with a minute repeater, and also the first ladies’ sports model with a “grand” complication. In fact, the ref. 5260 is the most complicated sports model of any kind, with the next-most-complicated being the Nautilus Perpetual Calendar ref. 5740. The ref. 5260/1455R-001 Initial thoughts I can certainly comprehend the appeal of the ref. 5260, even though it’s evidently not a watch catered to me. As far as crazily over-the-top ladies watches with impressive sertissage and impeccable horological credentials go, it doesn’t get any better than this. Mechanically the ref. 5260 is identical to Patek Philippe’s revered minute repeating models since it is powered by the R 27, the longstanding self-winding movement found in the current ref. 5178 and all the way back to the ref. 3979. In acoustic and watchmaking terms, the Aquanaut repeater...
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To celebrate Philippe Stern’s 85th birthday, Patek Philippe has released the Minute Repeater Alarm ref. 1938P-001. The 30-piece limited edition is a minute repeater with a novel alarm function that chimes the programmed time, powered by a new calibre that will never be repeated. The watch is also a tribute in a literal sense: the fired enamel dial bears a monochromatic portrait of Philippe Stern, now the honorary president of Patek Philippe and the man who laid the foundations of the Geneva watchmaker’s present-day success. Initial thoughts This watch was long anticipated since it was first teased for Only Watch 2023, where it was announced as a unique piece made for the charity auction followed by a limited edition release. Now we have the specifics of the watch and it is impressive in technique, even if the dial is surprising at first sight. Evocative of the iconic black-and-white portrait of Francis Ford-Coppola’s 1972 film The Godfather, portrait of Mr Stern initially feels out of place in such a classical watch. But then it is perhaps not as apparent on a wrist when reading the time, and more importantly, considering Mr Stern’s achievements he deserves an overwhelmingly prominent place on a watch. It is a certainty that the buyers of the 30 watches will be clients personally acquainted with Mr Stern – word has it that all were allocated by Geneva prior to launch – and I imagine all of them would be happy to concede part of the dial to him. With four new pa...
Quill & Pad
It was not until 2015 that Patek Philippe publicly issued a number of small editions of previously discontinued references, each in previously unmade metal/dial combinations. This Patek Philippe Reference 5070J-013 is one of those ultra-rare birds. And GaryG wonders if it might bring yellow gold back into fashion single-handedly, as for him the combination of the yellow gold case and sunburst-brushed brown dial is as gorgeous as it is unexpected.
Time+Tide
A salmon dial, platinum case, and bi-retrograde complication of the Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date is Vacheron Constantin's subtle take on the recent phenomenon.The post The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date is vying for the stealth-wealth crown appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Described as an “artistic and cultural alliance”, Vacheron Constantin has just inked a partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York. One of the world’s foremost museums, the Met becomes Vacheron Constantin’s second key museum partner after the Louvre. Although the details of their upcoming projects are limited, both institutions have disclosed a shared intention to launch an artist-in-residence programme as well as educational initiatives, and of course debut unique Vacheron Constantin timepieces inspired by artworks in the Met’s collection. Vacheron Constantin chief executive Louis Ferla with Director of the Met, Max Hollein. Image – Vacheron Constantin VC’s immersion in the arts The new partnership represents the brand’s most recent effort to align the realms of fine watchmaking and the arts. While collaborations of this kind are not novel, it seems likely that Vacheron Constantin (VC) will leverage this partnership and use the Met’s artworks as inspiration for exquisite and artisanal timepieces, something it did already with the Louvre in 2019. As a result of their partnership, VC and the Parisian museum teamed up for a charity auction conducted by Christie’s, where the winning bidder had the privilege of selecting a masterpiece from the Louvre’s collection to be recreated on a grisaille enamel dial of a custom-made Les Cabinotiers timepiece. While the winning bidder could chose from any of the Louvre’s works except for Leonardo ...
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Deployant
The Traditionnelle collection is Vacheron Constantin’s take on Geneva haute horlogerie traditions stemming from the 18th century. Yet time and time again, the manufacturer has shown that it isn’t afraid of adding contemporary touches to its Traditionnelle timepieces. Recent additions such as the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface have seen the collection embrace the use ofRead More
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One of the most intriguing Patek Philippe wristwatches is once again coming up for sale at auction, eight years after it was last sold publicly. Made in 1990 for a Japanese client, the Patek Philippe ref. 3843/1 has a 13.43-carat diamond as its crystal – a large, flat cut also known as a lasque diamond – and is an entirely one-of-a-kind wristwatch with its own singular reference number. As we explained in our 2016 story detailing the watch the first time it was sold (which seems like a lifetime ago in watch collecting), the ref. 3843/1 came about in the early 1990s when a Japanese client handed over the 13.43-carat lasque diamond to Patek Philippe with a request to mount it onto a watch. The watch was completed in 1991 and then sold to the client in 1994. Image – Christie’s Originating in India, lasque diamonds are flat, wide, and irregular in form. They were historically employed to cover miniature portraits and are also known as portrait-cut diamonds. Here the lasque diamond forms the crystal, which camouflages the fact that it is a diamond. Only the facetted edges and tiny inclusions are a giveaway that the crystal is a diamond. Case in white gold and matched with a fine-link bracelet, the ref. 3843/1 was built around the lasque diamond, explaining the unusual triangular case form. The case is about 32 mm by 26 mm at its widest, making it larger than most watches of its era, though relatively small by modern standards. Christie’s photos of the ref. 3843/1 appe...
Time+Tide
Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers bespoke department has collaborated with Rolls-Royce on a luxurious dashboard clock piece unique upon a client’s request Styled after a dashboard-mounted gauge, it features a bi-axial tourbillon and double retrograde display The car it was designed for, the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail, is the world’s most expensive new car When it comes … ContinuedThe post Vacheron Constantin design a unique clock for the world’s most expensive car appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Long the most complicated Patek Philippe wristwatch until it was superseded by the Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300 (and ref. 6175), the Sky Moon Tourbillon was arguably the brand’s first uber-complication. It was certainly the brand’s first double-faced wristwatch, continuing a lineage of two-sided grand complications that included the famous watches made for Henry Graves Jr. and James Ward Packard and the more recent Calibre 89. Boasting 12 complications, it debuted as the ref. 5002 in 2001 and then evolved into the ref. 6002 in 2014. The ref. 6002 has a more elaborately decorated 44 mm case, along with a revamped calendar display, but is otherwise unchanged in functional and mechanical terms from its predecessor, the ref. 5002 that was slightly smaller at 42.8 mm. The Sky Moon Tourbillon ref. 5002P, the very first variant of the model The ref. 5002 featured a relief decoration on the case band done by machine Despite their comparable sizes, the ref. 6002 is far and away the more striking watch because the fully engraved case and enamelled dial. In fact, the ref. 6002 is probably as over the top as a classically-inclined grand complication can get. Both references are powered by the R TO 27 QR SID LU CL, a multi-layered movement made up of 705 parts. In a world first, we’ll take you inside the movement and show you each of the layers. The Sky Moon Tourbillon ref. 6002R that remains in the current catalogue The ref. 6002 is engraved on almost every surface, even the minu...
Deployant
Vacheron Constantin introduces a new variation of the Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date, this time in platinum and with a salmon dial.
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Revolution
Join Wei and Christian Selmoni, Style and Heritage Director of Vacheron Constantin, as they unveil Wei’s personal 222. In this engaging conversation, we’ll explore the fascinating history and design philosophy behind the Vacheron Constantin 222, which has earned its reputation as one of the most coveted sports watches in the watch world today and can […]
Quill & Pad
Alexandre Ghotbi takes a look at the more than 100-year history behind the high-precision Vacheron Constantin Chronomètre Royal . . . which came up because of a conversation about "the Batman." Find out what that means right here.
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True to form, Patek Philippe has debuted more than a dozen new timepieces from its Rare Handcrafts collection at the brand’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo. Reserved exclusively for the Japanese market, the new collection includes dome clocks, table clocks, pocket watches, and wristwatches. Featuring traditional Japanese motifs, the new releases reflect Patek Philippe’s expertise in a range of precious crafts and techniques, including marquetry, guilloché, and various forms of enamelling including Grand Feu cloisonné, paillonné, flinqué, and grisaille enamel. The event is taking place at the Sankaku Hiroba expo centre in Shinjuku and runs from now until June 25, 2023. Admission is free and no registration is required to attend. Detail of the ref. 995/134G-001 “Shizuoka and Mount Fuji” pocket watch Dome clocks and table clocks When it comes to Patek’s Rare Handcrafts, nothing serves as a better backdrop for an artist’s skills than the brand’s iconic dome clocks. Measuring 213.5 mm tall and 128 mm in diameter, each clock is powered by the mechanical cal. 17’’’ PEND, which is conveniently rewound by an electric motor. While I often find that miniature paintings on wristwatch dials can look cramped at such a small scale, the large panels of a dome clock provide ample space for more dynamic compositions. Case in point is the Dome Clock ref. 20137M-001 “Hanami”, which uses Grand Feu cloisonné enamel to depict the Japanese custom of appreciatin...
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Amongst the special editions created for the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo is the World Time Minute Repeater Limited Edition Tokyo 2023 ref. 5531R-014. The ref. 5531R-014 is the more complicated of the two world time models that mark the event – the other is the ref. 5330G – and features a cloisonné enamel dial. The dial continues with the motif first found on the ref. 5531R-010 made for the Grand Exhibition 2019 that took place in Singapore. Its centre is cloisonné enamel depicting a stylised map of the Chuo ward in central Tokyo, including the expansive grounds of Imperial Palace on the upper left. Initial thoughts Unlike the other two Grand Exhibition Tokyo 2023 complications – Quad Comp ref. 5308P and World Time ref. 5330G – that are new references containing new calibres, the ref. 5531R is a variant of a regular-production model. So while it less interesting from that perspective, the ref. 5531R-014 is still an compelling watch. The cloisonné map is an unusual motif for a dial, and almost abstract at a distance, but interesting and appealing. The watch does have intrinsic appeal, however, it also does look similar to the ref. 5531R-010 made for the 2019 Grand Exhibition in Singapore. In fact, the two are probably indistinguishable from across a room. Doing something more distinctive, for instance another case metal and dial colour, would have made this more unique. A bird’s eye view of Tokyo The cloisonné enamel dial captures the Ch...
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The flagship model in Patek Philippe’s special edition line-up for the Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo, the Quadruple Complication Limited Edition Tokyo 2023 ref. 5308P-010 is an entirely new reference that becomes one of the most complicated watches in the Patek Philippe catalogue. Described as a quadruple complication because it has a minute repeater, perpetual calendar, and a twin chronograph, the ref. 5308P is a direct evolution of the ref. 5208. Both are essentially alike, save for the addition of the split-seconds mechanism in the ref. 5308P. Initial thoughts Like all of Patek Philippe’s top-of-the-line grand comps, the ref. 5308P is an imposing and heavy watch that makes a statement on the wrist (unlike the relatively compact ref. 5330G World Time created for the same event). And with the “rose-gilt opaline” dial, this is also visually striking and definitely hard to miss. Though it might seem similar to the ref. 5208, with only an additional seconds hand to set them apart, the ref. 5308P incorporates some interesting technical tweaks, including a revised isolator mechanism for the split seconds. Still, like the ref. 5208, the ref. 5308P is a modular grand complication with the perpetual calendar and split-seconds chronographs made up of modules stacked up under the dial. This is arguably a less sophisticated solution then an integrated chronograph (a perpetual calendar is conventionally a module regardless). Four comps The ref. 5308P has a dial in “ro...
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Having just opened the doors of the Watch Art Grand Grand Exhibition in Tokyo, Patek Philippe also revealed the special editions created for the event, including the World Time Limited Edition Tokyo 2023 ref. 5330G-10. Limited to 300 watches available only in Japan, the ref. 5330G-010 is the brand’s first world time with a date display. It features a guilloche dial in purple, the thematic hue of the exhibition, along with subtle references to Japan on the dial. Initial thoughts While the ref. 5330G-010 is not the flagship complication of the Watch Art Tokyo 2023 event – that title is claimed by the ref. 5308P Quadruple Complication – the new World Time is quintessential Patek Philippe. For one, the world time complication, though not invented by Patek Philippe, is strongly associated with the brand. At the same time, the date display is both practical and incorporated in an elegant manner, while the mechanics behind the date are sophisticated and thin as is typical of the brand’s approach to movements. Also in its favour are the discreet and tasteful references to Japan on the dial. But while the plum dial is striking and rich, the colour might not be for everyone. But putting aside the colour, the ref. 5330G-010 is an appealing watch. It is limited to just 300 pieces sold only in Japan, which makes availability at retail non-existent for most, but fortunately the ref. 5330 will almost certainly make it into the catalogue as a regular production model, as past exhi...
Deployant
‘Tis the year for the retrograde display here at Vacheron Constantin. The grand dame of watchmaking has released no fewer than three models with the mechanism at Watches & Wonders 2023. The first model is the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface, the most complicated of the lot. The next one is the Patrimony Retrograde Day-DateRead More
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As I was examining the Patek Philippe ref. 96QL once owned by the last Emperor of China, I wondered about the state of the movement. The watch is clearly old – it was sold in almost a century ago – and was not running. Phillips wasn’t able to show me the movement on the spot, understandably considering the value of the watch, although they promised they would get me some information shortly. Their response was more than I expected. Taking the form of a forensic report detailing the materials and details of the watch – right down to a X-ray spectrographic analysis of the dial – the information reveals much about the watch. To start with, the spectrograph of the reverse of the dial reveals it is 92.4% silver, 6.94% copper, with the rest comprised of silver and gold. This finally answer the long-ago question posed by Puyi when he tasked his manservant “Big Li” to scrape off the dial’s coating in order to see if it is platinum like the case. It is but a brass dial plated in silver. The analysis of the dial’s back Inside the platinum case is an 11”’ movement that likely began as an ebauche from LeCoultre that was then completed by Victorin Piguet, which produced the simple calendar module on the top. The movement was then likely sent to Patek Philippe, which applied the finishing touches and cased it. The back of the movement is evidently classical, with the flowing bridges that were then the norm in movement design. It is also finished as high-end movemen...
Quill & Pad
After reading article after article discussing the virtues of Patek Philippe's Nautilus, it became clear to watch enthusiast and Quill & Pad reader Perry Heim that none stated a self-evident truth that appears obvious to him. In this "letter to the editor" Perry explains in detail what he finds so appealing about the Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5711. And he stacks the Nautilus up against some serious contemporary contenders.
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With the Geneva auctions just having concluded, the spring sale season now moves to Hong Kong. The biggest event during auction week in the city will undoubtedly The Imperial Patek Philippe Sale, an evening sale that take places at Phillips on May 23. The auction gets its name from the Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 96QL in platinum once owned by Aisin-Gioro Puyi, the last Emperor of China. Known to the market for several years but now going under the hammer for the first time, the watch might emerge as the year’s most valuable watch sold at auction – or it might not, given the mixed reputation of the final Qing Emperor. But regardless of the value, the Puyi’s Patek Philippe is an exceptionally interesting watch, both intrinsically and in terms of provenance. The provenance Phillips pulled out all the stops in marketing The Imperial Patek Philippe Sale, no doubt an attempt to reach an audience beyond watch collectors. While the ref. 96QL is an exceedingly rare watch – and worth millions on its own – the provenance of this example is bona fide “Imperial”. The story of the watch is ably told in a documentary produced by Phillips especially for the auction. The 17-minute film explains how the life and times of Puyi, his fascination with timepieces, and importantly, how the ref. 96QL ended up in the possession of a Russian translator. Amongst the interviewees in the film is Russell Working, an American journalist who once profiled the Russian translator, Georgy Pe...
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