Vacheron Constantin is Presenting its Third Overseas Tourbillon Titanium Model in Deep Red

With its Overseas collection, Swiss manufacturer Vacheron Constantin delivered a sporty and elegant response to Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak and Patek Philippe’s Nautilus in 1996. Both watches were the brainchild of the ingenious watch designer Gérald Genta, appeared in the 1970s, and quickly established themselves as icons.

In 1996, the Overseas collection successfully joined the ranks of iconic timepieces as the sporty, modern backbone of Vacheron Constantin. Typical of the manufacturer, which belongs to the Richemont Group, is that it does not stop at sportiness, but combines it with exquisite craftsmanship, sophisticated technology, and high-quality materials – in short: haute horlogerie.

The 3 Ts of the new Overseas Tourbillon – Deep red, tourbillon, and titanium

You might think I’m being superficial, but I fell in love with this new Overseas model at first sight. And, that was despite not having noticed anything other than the striking colour of the dial. However, true to form for Vacheron Constantin, this model offers much more than just an exciting burgundy colour scheme. Behind its sleek design lies a wealth of technical sophistication and material expertise.

The parallels with the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, which features a dial in the same deep red, are obvious. So are the differences.

Dial

The face of the Overseas Tourbillon in titanium positively shines at the observer in a velvety deep red with a sunburst finish.

‘The Overseas watches form a collection that lends itself beautifully to new color explorations. This became clear when the Maison introduced a pink hue on certain women’s models and, more recently, intense green or gold dial colors. From there, it was interesting to continue by introducing new variations that bring a touch of originality. The deep red color, elegant and intense, fits perfectly into this vision,’ explains Christian Selmoni, Style and Heritage Director at Vacheron Constantin.

The elegant red forms the backdrop for the functional aspects of the dial. These include the hour markers coated with blue Superluminova, the hour, and minute hands in white gold, and the minute track with white indices and blue numerals.

The undisputed star of the dial is the tourbillon with small seconds on the skeletonised tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock. Thanks to advanced material expertise and shock absorption systems, this feature does not detract from the watch’s sporting suitability, emphasises Christian Selmoni:

‘These two elements combined now make it possible to create tourbillon watches suited to an active lifestyle with a sporty elegance unthinkable just a few decades ago. Add to that a case made entirely of titanium, and you have a slim, lightweight, and robust watch with exemplary precision thanks to its tourbillon regulator, which compensates for the effects of gravity.’

Movement

The sapphire crystal caseback reveals the technical eminence beneath. Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin, the automatic calibre 2160 measures a slim 31 millimetres in diameter and 5.65 millimetres in height. It beats at a leisurely 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz) and is equipped with a bidirectional winding mechanism, so that the mainspring is wound in both directions when the rotor is turned. This means greater efficiency with less movement of the wrist. This allows a maximum power reserve of 80 hours to be built up.

The oscillating weight, crafted from guilloché-decorated 22-carat gold, is peripherally mounted. This not only allows an unobstructed view of the movement but also contributes to the exceptionally slim construction. The Calibre 2160, composed of 188 individual components, can be admired through the sapphire caseback of the Overseas Tourbillon, revealing its elaborate finishing in full. Highlights include the circularly grained mainplate, hand-chamfered bridges adorned with Geneva stripes, perlage on the wheels, and blued screws.

Case, bezel, and three straps

This horological gem is protected up to a pressure of five bar by its 42.5-millimetre case made of hypoallergenic and lightweight titanium, which, thanks to the flat movement architecture, has a comfortable height of 10.39 millimetres. Its satin finish contrasts subtly with the sandblasted titanium bezel, whose profile is reminiscent of the Maltese cross – the brand’s logo – and features a circular satin finish. To prevent magnetic fields from affecting the watch’s accuracy, the case is equipped with a soft iron ring. This acts as a kind of Faraday cage, deflecting magnetic fields around the movement.

For the latest Overseas Tourbillon, Vacheron Constantin employs Grade 5 titanium. Unlike Grades 1 to 4, this is a titanium alloy combined with other metals such as aluminium or vanadium. This composition gives the material greater strength, which is why it is primarily used in aerospace, motorsport, and watchmaking.

One of the three straps supplied with the watch is also made from Grade 5 titanium and, like the case into which it integrates seamlessly, features a vertical satin finish. It secures the watch to the wrist with a triple-folding clasp, likewise crafted from titanium. Comfort is ensured by an adjustment system that allows for fine tuning of up to four millimetres.

Those who prefer a distinctly sportier look can swap the titanium bracelet effortlessly and without tools for one of the two rubber straps supplied, available in white or deep red.

Price & Availability

The new Overseas Tourbillon model in titanium is available exclusively from Vacheron Constantin boutiques and is priced at 168,000 euros.

vacheron-constantin.com