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…
Collective Horology and Zenith have unveiled the Defy Skyline C.X Edition, a limited edition watch that reinterprets the Defy Skyline with a focus on industrial design. This marks Collective Horology's tenth project to be done in collaboration with another watch brand, and showcases a unique aesthetic and functional features. With a limited run of 200…
With the unveiling of the second chapter in the M.A.D. series, M.A.D. Editions introduces a timepiece that differs significantly from the M.A.D. 1, both in concept and appearance. This watch, a creation by Eric Giroud — designer and long-standing friend of MB&F — is a heartfelt tribute to the wild, captivating club culture of the…
Omega has become something of a talking point in the industry recently. Last year, the company unveiled the most spectacular movement in its history, the Calibre 1932. Marking the world's first calibre to combine an integrated chronograph and a minute repeater, it was proof that Omega's ongoing quest for innovation is far from over. This…
The Boeing 747 revolutionised commercial aviation like no other long-haul aircraft. When the Boeing 747 was launched in 1969, it offered a more affordable long-haul experience than any other jumbo jet, with unprecedented spacious cabins that spanned two aisles and two decks. This was a time in which aviation – unlike today – was still…
Audemars Piguet is introducing a new variant of the Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph. The watch combines complicated mechanics with an open dial and a case in rose gold and black ceramic for the first time. The new model is a limited edition of 50 pieces. The Case Combines Ceramic And Rose Gold The…
To mark the occasion of the 175th anniversary of A. Lange & Söhne, the company is presenting the anniversary collection "Homage to F.A. Lange", consisting of the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold, the Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold and the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Thin Honeygold. The latter is a particularly thin two-hand watch, limited to 175 pieces.…
At Watches & Wonders 2025, Chanel is once again merging the world of high fashion with the precision of fine watchmaking in the shape of the Monsieur de Chanel Superleggera Bleu Edition. The Bleu Edition features a distinctive blue hue, a ceramic colour that took five years to perfect and that appears to be almost…
With the new collection of Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days watches, Panerai invites to an exploration into the blue of the sea, which's colour is applied to the dial by a new manufacturing process. The reflections of light which penetrate the depths of the sea create a chromatic spectacle which the new dial of the Radiomir 1940 3 Days tries to…
Löbner presents its first three-hand watch, the Sledge Automatic, featuring an innovative timekeeping mechanism. The watch is equipped with a rotatable bezel that enables minute-precise adjustments to the minute scale on the dial. This function is akin to the inner rotating bezels commonly found in diver’s watches but eliminates the need for a secondary crown.…
With its new model the watch manufacture Breguet ties in with a line of ultrathin previous models. As well the new Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395 (Ref. 5395BR/1S/9WU) is equipped with the only 3 mm high calibre 581 made of 18-karat gold including a tourbillon. By skeletonizing the movement the manufacture now makes the mechanical system of…
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface Calendar has a reversible case that houses two dials. The main dial offers a full calendar with moon phases, while the back features a second time zone with day/night display. The watch appears in stainless steel on the one hand and, as an elegant alternative, with a pink gold case.…
In the summer of 2023, Zenith presented an updated Pilot collection. Although Zenith has a rich history of pilot's watches (brought back to life in their “ICONS: PILOT” capsule collection that just launched), the manufacture decided to start from scratch. The result is a modern pilot's watch that picks up on the typical features combines…