Vacheron Constantin’s 2026 release slate is full of gems, from the mechanical exception of the Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Skeleton to my personal favourite American 1921. However, the solid core at the centre of their releases are the expansions to the Overseas collection. The Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin presents the maison’s newest ultra-thin calibre while the Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points is the spiritual successor to 2021’s Everest model. We got hands-on with both at Watches & Wonders to learn more.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin
Measuring 39.5mm diameter x 7.35mm thickness, the Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin lives up to its name. While it’s not going to compete with the likes of the Bulgari Finissimo for world records, it sits very flat to the wrist and slips beneath a cuff almost without thought. The Overseas is Vacheron’s sports-chic model and at these proportions, it definitely feels like it leans more towards chic than sporty. Especially as it’s produced in platinum, giving it a high lustre and surprising heft for its size (notably we saw the piece on its rubber strap, it would be significantly heavier on its platinum bracelet).
They’ve opted for a two-hand hour and minutes display, foregoing any seconds indication. It makes for a serene dial that stoically and reliably displays the time. That element of gentle class is heightened by the salmon, sunray brushed dial. In combination with the polished Maltese cross bezel it pays authentic tribute to the origin of the term salmon for this colourway, with the case representing the silver scales of the fish and the dial the pink flesh. It’s almost enough to make you hungry for brunch.
As I noted in the introduction, the Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin houses Vacheron’s latest ultra-thin calibre. It’s the 2550 and it measures 2.4mm thick. That’s made possible by creating a movement architecture with a micro-rotor, where the rotor sits on the same plane as the rest of the calibre instead of on a separate layer below. The rotor helps provide an 80-hour power reserve, which is great for a movement this thin. Through the exhibition caseback you can appreciate its immaculate finishing, with a mix of Geneva waves, perlage, sunray brushing, frosting and anglage.
At £103,000 in a 255-piece limited edition, it’s one of the most exclusive models in the Overseas line, beating out even some of the tourbillon models. Though I suspect the platinum case is doing most of the heavy lifting there. Regardless, it’s one of the most refined and elegant Overseas in the range.
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Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Point
The Overseas Dual Time Cardinal points is all about turning the Overseas from a sports watch into a fully fledged tool watch. Made from titanium and measuring 41mm x 12mm with 150m water resistance, it’s well suited to being an adventurous travel timepiece. Lightweight while providing enough size to be nice and legible.
There are four versions of the watch being produced, each dedicated to one of the cardinal points on the compass. The brown version pictured here, is the South model, with white for North, blue for East and green for West. The brown is the most similar to the 2021 Everest edition although that was technically a dark, dark navy blue mixed with grey. However, all four of the new editions feature the same grained texture dial with orange accents that heighten the robust vibe of the piece.
The dial itself features central hours, minutes, seconds and secondary 12-hour hand. That second 12-hour hand allows the watch to display a second time zone simultaneously when used in conjunction with the day/night indicator. This allows you to track both local time and home time when you are abroad, making it the ideal complication for frequent travellers. At 6 o’clock is a pointer date subdial.
Powering the model, and visible through the exhibition caseback when you undo the rubber strap and slip the watch off, is the calibre 5110 DT/3. It’s automatic with a golden rotor featuring a compass rose motif that further emphasises the whole cardinal points concept. It has a 60-hour power reserve and operates at a 4 Hz frequency.
All four versions of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Point are £35,400. That’s really the main barrier that stops it from becoming a useful tool watch – no one is going to want to risk scratching a five-figure watch while scrambling up a scree slope. If it was more accessible, it would be one of the coolest adventure watches around.
Price and Specs:
More details at Vacheron Constantin.
