By James Phang
At Watches & Wonders 2015, Vacheron Constantin has once again outdone itself by revealing a unique creation, the Maître Cabinotier Perpetual Calendar Regulator which combines a regulator-style time display with a concisely laid out perpetual calendar. It is also certified by the Hallmark of Geneva, perpetuating the tradition of technical excellence and innovation cultivated by the 18th-century cabinotiers who were well-known for making authentic made-to-order masterpieces intended for prestigious customers from around the world.
Needless to say, the key differentiating factor of this Maître Cabinotier Perpetual Calendar Regulator is its regulator-type display, inspired by the precision clocks used to adjust watches from the 17th century onwards. Known as regulator clocks back then, such clocks were usually the reference for other timepieces in places where precision timekeeping mattered such as watch factories and observatories. Similar to antique precision clocks, the hours and minutes of the Maître Cabinotier Perpetual Calendar Regulator are placed on separate sub-dials for better legibility, with the hours located at 12 o’clock and the minutes on the central axis (instead of the hours at six o’clock for traditional regulator clocks).
The perpetual calendar is also presented in a very clean fashion, with the day and month shown in windows on either side of the hours, while the date and moon phase is positioned at six o’clock. A tiny round aperture at the four o’clock marker on the hour sub-dial show the leap year. The watch uses a new movement, Vacheron Constantin caliber 2460 RQP, developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin Mechanical. It is self-winding, with a size of 25.6 mm in diameter and 5.4 mm thick. The power reserve is approximately 40 hours, running at 4Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour), with 334 components running in 27 jewels.
The dial features a superbly finished guilloché engraving in a case fitted with a concave bezel which makes the watch considerably lighter compared to its peers. The hands are spade-shaped while the hour markers are represented as tiny pyramids. To match the colour of the case, the hour markers, hands, window frames for the month and day, as well as the moon and star, are all in pink gold. The Vacheron Constantin Maitre Cabinotier Perpetual Calendar Regulator comes with a hand-sewn brown alligator Mississippiensis leather strap. To give its owners a greater sense of ownership in owning one of these beauties, the timepiece is also delivered with a watch winder, a corrector pen and a magnifying glass.
For more info, please visit vacheron-constantin.com
Technical Specifications
Maître Cabinotier Perpetual Calendar Regulator ref. 4000C/000R-B121
Movement: In-house Vacheron Constantin Automatic Calibre 2460 RQP.
27.5 mm (11’’’¼) diameter, 5.84 mm thick
Approximately 40 hours of power reserve
4Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
334 components
27 jewels
Indications Regulator hours and minutes indication
Perpetual calendar (date, day of the week, month, leap year)
Moon phase
Case: 18K 5N pink gold with a 42 mm diameter, 11.7 mm thickness and water-resistance tested at a pressure of 3 bar —approx. 30 meters.
Dial: 18K gold Brown opaline, hand-guilloché, 18K 5N pink gold « Clous de Paris » applied hour-markers, moon phase and counters frames.
Strap: Brown Mississippiensis alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell, hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square scales with 18K 5N pink gold triple-blade folding clasp polished half Maltese cross-shaped.
Presentation box with watch winder and delivered with a corrector pen & a magnifying glass.
Other Specs: Unique timepiece «Pièce Unique» engraved on caseback.
JAMES PHANG – CONTRIBUTING WRITER
James Phang is a young watch enthusiast from Singapore and is a self-professed fanatic of independent brands for their unique avant-garde designs. Some of his favorite brands include MB&F, Urwerk, Romain Jerome, Sarpaneva, Peter Speake-Marin and Azimuth. His love for art extends out to all things handmade, and he has made it his personal mission to find the best handmade straps and buckles worldwide for his humble collection. Read his articles here
