Hands-On With The Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar
Leave it to brands to find excuses to launch celebratory limited editions. Most of the time, the celebrated milestones feel contrived at best. Not so with Vacheron Constantin. After all, if you have been in the business—continuously, I might add—for 270 years, you truly have something to celebrate. The brand has embraced the festive mood, so we get a host of special editions this year, one of which you see here today. This is the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar.
This one is for the lucky few, as only 127 units will be produced, price on request. Still, that doesn’t stop us from enjoying it. I got a chance to go hands-on, and here is how we got along.
The Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar
You have got to love a good descriptive name, right? That’s what Vacheron provides us with for the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar. Simply put, this is a perpetual calendar with a tourbillon, under the Traditionelle line of watches. This 950 platinum creation measures 42mm across by 11.1mm thick. Yes, that makes for a rather chunky watch, but there’s a lot going on inside to warrant its proportions.
The dial features the characteristic 270th anniversary guillochage that we’ve seen in several recent introductions. This pattern comprises the Maltese cross at 7:30 with straight lines radiating across the dial. Of course, Vacheron’s craftspeople cut the pattern on a manually operated rose engine. The pattern looks rather prominent on the time-only versions but blends nicely into the busier dial here.
Inside ticks the brand-new caliber 2162 QP/270. This self-winding movement uses a peripheral rotor to allow for an unobstructed view of the movement. The 324-part caliber beats at a mere 2.5Hz, which makes for easy viewing of the rotating tourbillon while maintaining a 72-hour power reserve. The perpetual calendar sits across three sub-dials at three, nine, and twelve. A tiny aperture in the dial displays the leap year. Vacheron applies a special type of very narrow and swirling Côtes de Genève striping on its anniversary models.
Traditionelle, but not old-fashioned
Okay, so imagine you have been at your job for 270 years. Imagine you then develop a watch called “Traditionelle” to celebrate. That has all the makings to come out rather stale, right? Well, there’s no sign of a 270-year itch at Vacheron. The Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar cleverly blends traditional watchmaking with more modern design cues. The result feels fresh and inspired to me.
I have gone on record to say that I am not a big fan of the celebratory dial engraving. However, I must admit that they work much better on the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar than on the three-handers. The pattern somehow brings the many elements of its complications together as a binding agent of sorts. I like it!
There is more to like. The flat-topped applied indices, for instance, feel like a more modern, subdued alternative to roof-topped versions. The typography feels contemporary and fresh, especially in this sans-serif style printed in blue. The muscular case neatly offsets the very traditional-looking handset and tourbillon, too. Overall, I find this a very successful blend of the modern and the traditional.
Wearing the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar
Another thoroughly modern aspect is the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar’s size. At 42mm, this watch wears big. The strong lugs only serve to accentuate its prominent stance on the wrist. I am sure this will sit well with most of the brand’s clientele, but I would prefer it to be smaller. To me, some of the refinement of such a high-end piece of watchmaking artistry is not as easy to appreciate at this scale.
You can see it in the hands, for instance. That minute hand is gargantuan. At the same time, it does provide the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar with a great deal of presence. Imagine this with the weight of platinum on your wrist. It makes you feel like you could rule the world.
And yet it does so without being crass, however. The overall design is so classy and elegant that its slightly oversized proportions don’t spoil it. Kudos, Vacheron Constantin! Here’s to 270 more years like this!
