Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery Watch Review

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery delivers something very different from before while simultaneously upholding the Maison’s no-compromise standards. Angus Davies explores this model, a superlative among sports watches.

Vacheron Constantin watch

Back in the 1980s, I began working in a bank. It was my first ‘proper job’. Shortly after I started, I recall a senior member of staff taking me to one side and complimenting me on my business attire. He made it very clear that anything other than a formal suit and polished black Oxford lace-ups would not be looked on favourably and could even impair my prospects for promotion.

These days, a cocktail suit worn without a tie, a sports jacket and chinos or a natty pair of white pumps paired with a tailored suit have all gained widespread acceptance, even in professional circles. And, most pertinently, they can still encompass craftsmanship, while looking eminently stylish.

I’m reminded of this modern-day phenomenon as I look at the press release from watchmaking’s aristocratic Maison, Vacheron Constantin. The firm is synonymous with Haute Horlogerie and has an enviable reputation for imbuing fine timepieces with métiers d’art. Now, the Maison has created a stunning ensemble that encompasses several hitherto discrete genres.

The newly released Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery is a sports watch, housed in 18K white gold, endowed with a high complication, hallmarked with the Poinçon de Genève and exquisitely set with 85 baguette diamonds. On paper, the constituent elements of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery may seem somewhat disparate and yet everything coalesces to form a harmonious magnum opus.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas

An evolution of the Vacheron Constantin 222 of 1977, the Overseas burst onto the watch scene in 1996. The model tapped into the growing fondness for high horology fused with sporty practicality. Over the years, the model has received the occasional nip and tuck, while still staying true to the original design language. In 2016, the Overseas collection was ‘reinvented’; however, the family likeness remained clear to see. While the historic Maison (depuis 1755) has produced various references in gold, the model is probably best known for the successful pairing of a bewitching blue dial and stainless steel case.

As previously stated, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery is formed of 18K white gold, a noble metal that exudes a slightly whiter shade of pale. The 42.5 mm case and accompanying bracelet are predominantly satin-brushed, save for the occasional scintilla of polished gold.

Vacheron Constantin Calibre 2160

The Calibre 2160 is equipped with a gravity-defying tourbillon. By placing the escapement and regulating organ in a rotating cage, any positional errors are negated. This high complication requires an inordinate amount of skill to assemble and regulate, necessitating the time-served expertise of a master watchmaker.

In this instance, the tourbillon cage/carriage is presented as a Maltese cross, the Manufacture’s emblem. The upper bridge or bar is tapered and painstakingly mirror-polished by hand, a process that takes approximately 12 hours. A blued screw fitted to the tourbillon carriage rotates 360° every minute and serves as a small seconds indicator.

Despite being a self-winding movement, the Calibre 2160 remains comparatively thin, measuring just 5.65 mm thick. This is achieved by placing the bulkiest part of the rotor within a channel (aka trottoir) that encircles the bridgework.

The movement is beautifully appointed with perlage, Côtes de Genève, hand-bevelling, frosted wheels, chamfered and polished screws. The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery bears the coveted Poinçon de Genève, providing reassurance that the watch has been subjected to the independent scrutiny of TimeLab.

Vacheron Constantin High Jewellery

The hour markers, bezel and pin buckle are set with baguette-cut diamonds (total weight 3.61 carats). No visible grains or claws are holding the diamonds in place, they are invisibly set, a technique that requires much skill on the part of the gem-setter. Baguette-cut diamonds exhibit a different character to brilliant-cut diamonds courtesy of their elongated faces and pronounced right angles. Rest assured, Vacheron Constantin is known for using the finest quality stones and fitting them with unrivalled mastery.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery – closing thoughts

Founded in 1755 and a member of the so-called ‘holy trinity of watchmaking’, Vacheron Constantin’s reputation for making peerless expressions of Haute Horlogerie is widely known. However, despite its rich traditions, it has demonstrated a willingness to be bold combining different styles and artistic forms.

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery amalgamates the old and the new, tradition and modernity, formality and informality; but most of all this timepiece upholds the no-compromise standards this Maison has practised since it was established back in the 18th century.

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