Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas has always been a versatile collection. Its integrated bracelet design makes it a stunner in both its more tool watch oriented iterations like the Everest and its dress watch and high complication expressions. The latest additions to the family fall squarely into the latter category as additions to the Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin sub-collection, which consists of several references already. The new watches are specifically the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin burgundy and full gold.
Both watches feature 41.5mm diameter cases that feature all the signature elements of the Overseas collection, which means a Maltese cross bezel, curving tonneau style case, a combination of brushed and polished finishing and of course that integrated bracelet. Though the bracelet is actually interchangeable and can be swapped for a rubber number in a choice of two colours per model. The burgundy model, with its white gold case, has a burgundy or white strap while the pink gold model has choice of blue or white. As part of the Ultra-Thin line, they have thicknesses of just 8.1mm, making them extremely svelte on the wrist despite being on the larger side when it comes to dress watch diameters.
Where the two watches diverge, other than the type of gold the cases are made from, are the dials. The burgundy edition unsurprisingly has a burgundy dial, and it looks fabulous. It’s rich and dark like wine, oozing a sort of mature luxury that whispers rather than shouts. The display is punctuated by the perpetual calendar and moonphase complications, along with a minute track and leap year indicator in blue.
The full gold version is, you guessed it, entirely gold, with a sunbrushed golden dial, matching gold hands, gold hour markers and even a gold moon. The only concessions to legibility are the black markings for the perpetual calendar and again the blue minute track and leap year. This is a watch that laughs in the face of subtlety and screams luxury and opulence at every turn. Yet, that extreme dressy vibe is kept in check somewhat (only very slightly) by the sporty roots of the watch and it might be my favourite full gold watch to date. It really works.
Inside both the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin burgundy and full gold is the calibre 1120 QP/1. It’s a movement intentionally built with thinness in mind, measuring 4.05mm thick, in order to enable the ultra-thin proportions of the case. It’s particularly impressive given that it’s an automatic movement with a self-winding rotor, as seen through the exhibition caseback, a mechanism that is typically very bulky.
At time of writing there isn’t an official price, but I see no reason they wouldn’t follow the existing pricing of the rest of the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin at £106,000. That seems about right for a gold-cased perpetual calendar, especially one from Vacheron Constantin. It’s also really nice to get a few more colours into the range that aren’t white, black, blue or green.
Price and Specs:
Burgundy lacquer with sunburst satin finish, velvet flange and snailed counters, 18K white gold moonphase disc (white gold)
18K white gold bracelet with matching clasp, additional burgundy and white rubber straps (white gold)
More details at Vacheron Constantin.
