Golden Hour: Vacheron Constantin Introduces a New Overseas 35 mm
Vacheron Constantin has been in the limelight recently thanks to the introduction of numerous exciting models – from the successfully resurrected 222to 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.
Who is 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.”
A rose-gold case
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.
The dial
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.
The movement
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.
Overseas 35 mm: Price and strap
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.
On the occasion of the presentation of the Lamborghini Revuelto, the first electrified super sports car with V12 hybrid drive, Roger Dubuis is introducing the fifth generation of its famed chronograph. Inspired by the colours and aerodynamic curves of its motorised role model, the new Excalibur Spider Revuelto Flyback Chronograph once again demonstrates the strong…
Watchmaker Oris is introducing a new timepiece: the Carl Brashear Cal. 401 Limited Edition. The model is the third special edition to result from the collaboration between Oris and the Carl Brashear Foundation. This non-profit organization conveys the legacy of Carl Brashear – the first African-American diver in the US-Navy. Accordingly, the watch is inspired…
Classics never go out of fashion. This is also true for the Perpetuélle timepieces invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet with their à secousses (moving) oscillating weight. As the successor model to the Classique Quantième Perpétuel 5327 released in 2004, the Classique Quantième Perpétuel 7327 is a reinterpretation of the classic with regards to its functionality and design. Meanwhile, the perpetual calendar complication and the…
Breitling has announced a collaboration with the motorbike manufacturer Triumph and is presenting the Top Time Triumph. The watch has an ice blue dial, which harks back to a historic model. A limited edition motorbike, the Triumph Speed Twin Breitling, is also released. It in turn, features the same ice blue colour and showcases a…
Following Zenith's revival of its pilot's line last year, this year sees another revival in the form of the new Defy Extreme Diver. As with the brand's pilot's watches, the diver's watch has a long history at Zenith – a 55-year history to be precise, as the first Defy A3648 diver's watch appeared in 1969.…
At this year's automotive Concours d'Elegance held at Hampton Court, A. Lange & Söhne's automatic Odysseus chronograph, first presented at Watches and Wonders in Geneva in the spring, was initially the number one topic of conversation. It was everywhere: while posters in the park lauded its release, car collectors who had journeyed to the event…
Hublot is presenting three very special timepieces at this year's LVMH Watch Week in Singapore, all of which break with old conventions. From a transparent neon-coloured case and a watch helping to protect the rhinoceros to a new edition of an all-time classic, Hublot is coming up with all the goods. Classic Fusion Original The…
In July 2019, the Swiss watchmaker OMEGA unveiled the Speedmaster Moonwatch with the legendary calibre 321, however in a platinum execution. Now, this model is finally being launched in stainless steel, inspired from a Speedmaster ST 105.003 that astronaut Edward White wore on his wrist while walking in space for the first time. Speedmaster Moonwatch 321 in…
There is a clear division of roles in the world of watches. Watch manufactures see themselves – first and foremost at least – as watchmakers. They create beautiful products that respect the values and design codes of often centuries-old companies. At the same time, they strive to appeal to and inspire customers. Retailers, on the…
Montblanc has added three new pieces to its Heritage collection, including the 18-carat rose-gold Heritage Manufacture Pulsograph Limited Edition 100 with a 'smoked-tobacco' brown dial. The vintage-looking wristwatch evokes the brand’s Minerva watches that were produced in the 1940s and 1950s, featuring a domed box-shaped sapphire crystal. Initially launched showcasing a salmon-coloured dial and stainless-steel…
With the L.U.C Flying T Twin, the Chopard manufacture is presenting a classic wristwatch with a flying tourbillon. Housed in a flat gold case, it flaunts its deep blue dial with a guilloché pattern. Inside operates an in-house movement that offers both automatic winding via microrotor and a tourbillon stop-seconds mechanism. The watch is a…
TAG Heuer and Porsche are announcing a major new partnership. The two brands already share a common history in motorsport. In addition to joint sponsorship projects, new products are also expected to appear as a result. The TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph Special Edition is the first of these. Featuring an asphalt-look dial, it is…