BY DHANANJAY PATHAK
The Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar was, in my opinion, one of the most technically innovative watches released last year. For 2020 the brand continues to showcase its horological excellence through the new Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph, a watch that combines the efficiency and accuracy of a tourbillon with the charm of a monopusher.
What immediately grabs the attention on this watch is the large circular opening at the 12 o’clock position that shows off the tourbillon in all its glory. The tourbillon cage features signature Maltese cross inspired elements synonymous with the brand and houses the beating heart of the watch. The rest of the dial has been presented in a nice opaline silver shade and is neatly laid out. At 3 is a 45-minute counter, followed by a smaller power reserve indicator at 6. Both registers have been nicely recessed to give an added sense of depth. Applied gold baton-style indices constitute the hour index, which is supported by a railroad-style minute track printed in black. A well-proportioned golden dauphine style handset can be used to read the time, whereas the rest of the hands have a baton-style shape and have been blacked out to provide a nice contrast against the dial. Finally, there is a tachymeter meter scale running on the outer periphery.
The case on the watch is crafted from solid pink gold and measures 42.5mm in diameter. While a little large for a dress watch, the 11.2 mm thickness combined with the downward curving lugs should make this one slide under those cuffs easily. Located at 3 is a crown with a single pusher at the center, which is the second highlight of this watch. Unlike a conventional chronograph that has 2 pushers to control the chronograph functions, in a monopusher everything is taken care of using the just one pusher. This setup while being intriguing, also helps keep the case clean.
Flipping the watch over a big sapphire window gives way to the beautiful calibre 3200. An in-house manually wound movement, the 3200 comprises a total of 292 parts and features a column-wheel for smoother chronograph operation. It operates at a low frequency of 18000 vph and is regulated by a one-minute tourbillon offering a power reserve of around 65 hours. The movement has been exceptionally decorated and has been given the Geneva seal for following the highest standards in quality.
The new Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph will come attached to a genuine brown alligator strap and would retail for EUR 227,000.
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