Vacheron Constantin has been in the limelight recently thanks to the introduction of numerous exciting models – from the successfully resurrected 222 to the one-of-kind Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon. Now, however, Vacheron is setting its sights on expanding the maison’s trusty Overseas collection by introducing a new rose-gold model in a 35 mm case. Why the introduction of this particular watch? Vacheron is unveiling the timepiece as part of its ‘One of Not Many’ campaign, which celebrates talents from around the world. For this particular piece, the horology house collaborated with one of its latest talents to support the brand, revered artist and explorer Zaria Forman.
Best known for her incredibly life-like pastel drawings, American artist and explorer Zaria Foreman almost exclusively takes inspiration from nature. A personal witness to changing landscapes – consequently reflected in her artworks –, she caught the eye of Vacheron Constantin because her openness and longing for discovery personifies, in the eyes of Vacheron, the spirit of its Overseas collection. As a result, the artist was commissioned to create a special piece for the manufacture: Fellsfjara, Iceland No.3.
As the prominent creative explains in her own words, ‘I was amazed by the craftspeople who ply their trade within the manufacture, by their passion and vocation, and, above all, their handcrafted work, which reminds me of my own: modelling with my fingertips; enjoying a tactile and sensual relationship with matter in a process of creation and transmission; making a personal imprint on time and giving it a voice. The landscapes I love and depict in my work illustrate the passage of time, and its impact on the world and on humankind.”
This new watch is not the first 35 mm Overseas by any stretch. Vacheron Constantin excited those with slimmer wrists earlier this year at Watches and Wonders, when it launched four Overseas models in 34.5 and 35 mm cases. This new piece stands out thanks to a case and matching bracelet in 18-carat 5N pink-gold.
Pink gold is a material with a special meaning for the horology house. Having been used for its watches dating as far back as the 1910s, the material was largely reserved for its most complicated creations, from minute repeaters to chronographs. This changed in the 1960s, when Vacheron began to work almost exclusively with yellow- and white-gold. The comeback of rose-gold watches finally took place in the early 1990s thanks to a demand from the Asian market.
Returning to the present: the pink gold-case of the new Overseas model sit nicely on the wrist thanks to a relatively slim case height of 9.33 mm, and provides the wearer with water resistance to 150 m thanks to the screw-down crown.
Exuding warm gold hues and a 1950s/60s aesthetic, Vacheron Constantin’s designers focus on matching the dial to the colour of the watch case. With its refined tone-on-tone aesthetic, the golden dial shines beautifully thanks to its satin finishing alongside a layer of transparent lacquer. In order to add some contrast to this otherwise monochrome look, the horology house adorn the distinctive six-sided bezel of the new 35 mm Overseas with no less than 90 round-cut diamonds (equally at least 0.86 carats). The bezel, of course, takes inspiration from the brand’s emblem of the Maltese cross.
Last but not least, the watch features matching gold hour-markers and hands, both of which are legible around the clock thanks to the addition of blue Super-LumiNova. A date window sits neatly at 3 o’clock.
Ticking away inside the watch is the calibre 1088/1, a self-winding movement that provides hours, minutes, and seconds. With a 40 hour power reserve and a frequency of 4 Hz, the calibre is particularly precise thanks to the addition of a soft iron casing ring for protection against magnetic forces. Furthermore, the movement’s stop-second mechanism enables the wearer to accurately adjust the time functions. Due to the inclusion of a sapphire crystal caseback, the wearer may admire the calibre 1088/1 – not least its 22-carat gold Overseas oscillating weight or bridges showcasing Geneva stripes – via the caseback.
Last but not least, the new 35 mm Overseas watch from Vacheron Constantin comes on an attractive pink-gold bracelet. The bracelet, which features the horology house’s Maltese cross-shaped polished and satin-brushed links, secures with the help of triple-blade folding clasp with push-pieces. Furthermore, thanks to the use of a ‘comfort adjustment system’, the wearer can fit the bracelet to their wrist perfectly. However, should the owner of the 35 mm Overseas wish for a more casual look, two other interchangeable strap options also accompany the watch: a white calfskin leather strap with tone-on-tone stitches, or a sporty white rubber strap. Both secure to the wrist via a simple 5N pink-gold buckle. Price: EUR 63,000.
