Traditionnelle complete calendar: The watchmaking classic
The classically inspired Traditionnelle complete calendar – with its stepped round case and lugs, fluted caseback and railway minute-track swept over by Dauphine-style hours and minutes hands – retains Vacheron Constantin’s signature touch of originality in the display of the calendar indications. The day and month windows are positioned around the rim of the dial, while the date is shown by a dedicated pointer. This layout particularly highlights a precision moon phase located at 6 o’clock.
A contemporary expression of classic traditional watchmaking, Vacheron Constantin’s Traditionnelle collection is reminiscent of the watches made by the cabinotiers, the Geneva watchmakerswho plied their trade during the Age of Enlightenment. Like the timepiecesof that era, it is distinguished by its purity of style and the perfect legibility of its horological complications. The new Traditionnelle complete calendar watch – whose complication is also known as a triple calendar – indicates the date, day and month, complemented by the age and phases of the moon. Its round case with fluted back, slim bezel, railway-track minute track, bi-facetted Dauphine-style hands and baton-type hour markers in 18K white gold are also imbued with the watchmaking pragmatism of the 1920s, which required the aesthetics of a watch to fully serve its function.
ORIGINAL DISPLAY
Already available in 18K pink gold, the new Traditionnelle complete calendar watch is now presented in a 41 mm case in 18K white gold and features a velvet-finish slate grey dial. This new tone gives it a contemporary look that highlights the structure of its displays. Unlike standard triple calendars, the day and month indicators are positioned around the rim of the dial rather than in the centre, while the date is discreetly indicated by a crescent-tipped central hand. This original arrangement frees up space for the precision age and phases of the moon appearing on the lower part of the dial.
CALIBRE 2460 QCL/1: COMPLETE CALENDAR AND PRECISION MOON PHASE
The Traditionnelle complete calendar watch is powered by Calibre 2460 QCL/1. This type of triple-display calendar represents a complication that is an integral part of the Manufacture’s heritage. Calibre 2460 QCL/1 with its 308 components is an evolved version of Calibre 2450, the first self-winding movement entirely designed and developed by Vacheron Constantin.Equipped with a stop-seconds mechanism, it beats at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour, has a 40-hour power reserve and – in addition to its triple calendar indications – drives a precision moon phase requiring only one correction every 122 years. Featuring a 22K gold openworked oscillating weight with a design inspired by the Maison’s Maltese cross emblem, the movement visible from the back bears all the finishing touches one would expect from an Haute Horlogerie calibre, such as its circular-grained baseplate and chamfered bridges adorned with a Côtes de Genève motif. Water-resistant to 30 metres, the Traditionnelle complete calendar watch is fitted with a black Mississippiensis alligator leather strap secured by an 18K white gold pin buckle.
The Traditionnelle complete calendar watch, a piece imbued with the spirit of traditional 18th century fine watchmaking, places aesthetics at the service of functionality. It is equipped with self-winding Calibre 2460 QCL/1, a movement with a useful complication that displays a triple calendar, a precision moon phase and the age of the moon. The day and month are indicated by apertures around the rim of the dial, while the date is shown by a crescent-tipped central hand. This new iteration of the Traditionnelle complete calendar watch opts for a case in 18K white gold and a velvet-finish slate grey dial, fitted with a black alligator leather strap.
THE VACHERON CONSTANTIN EXPERIENCE
The historical Manufacture offers a diverse array of models, yet its annual production volumes are comparativelysmall. Indeed, each Vacheron Constantin watch is ‘one of not many’. This feature provides a small glimpse into a world of beauty, craftsmanship and mechanical excellence, however, there is no substitute for discovering the brand first-hand at one of its two London boutiques.
Read More Articles
