For 2020, Vacheron Constantin takes inspiration from the hip guys on the town however in a predictably “Traditionnelle” package deal. Lately, the most well-liked Swiss-made tourbillon chronograph watch talked about by the collector group was produced by TAG Heuer. Certainly, the Heuer 02-T motion is a high-performing Swiss-made automated chronograph tourbillon beginning at lower than $20,000. This 12 months, Vacheron Constantin will get within the recreation with the Tradionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph… and so they added a zero to the aforementioned worth.
Chronograph tourbillon actions, basically, have at all times been extra high-end in worth, however nearly decidedly for ultra-modern (quite than basic) watches. The late BNB Idea movement-maker specialised in unique chronograph tourbillons, which was later carried over into Hublot when it purchased the expertise over the last financial recession. At present, manufacturers like Richard Mille routinely produce chronograph tourbillon watches with worth factors over $500,000.
That mentioned, it isn’t that you could’t discover some attention-grabbing chronograph tourbillon watches in the marketplace which are extra retro in taste. For me, among the greatest examples have been produced by German A. Lange & Sohne (that shares the identical mum or dad firm as Vacheron Constantin). The 2020 Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph marries a chronograph and tourbillon complication for the primary time I can recall in a sequence manufacturing watch from the model. It makes use of an present motion structure however for a brand new mechanism that appears to be an actual winner on the wrist.
The motion is the in-house-made Vacheron Constantin caliber 3200 — a Seal of Geneva-certified mechanism. The motion is manually wound with 65 hours of energy reserve working at a comparatively timid 2.5Hz. This slower working frequency does have a bonus, that being a really lovely heartbeat animation throughout the spinning tourbillon carriage. The actual worth for collectors in a watch akin to that is that they get to marry the visible enchantment of watching a finely completed large-diameter, slower-beat tourbillon with the tactile expertise of winding the mechanism (as prescribed by the power-reserve indicator) and biking via the chronograph operations through the mono-pusher-style button positioned within the crown stem. Sure, in different phrases, this watch is a supremely elegant toy to calm anxious eyes and fidgety palms.
Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph
The chronograph measures a peculiar 45 minutes, which I imagine makes it good for soccer matches. The system makes use of a column wheel transmission system, and for the activation system, Vacheron Constantin created an all-or-nothing activator within the mono-pusher with a view to forestall unintended presses or injury to the motion. The 292-part motion is totally hand-decorated (the place numerous the price is available in). The tourbillon can be positioned on the 12 o’clock place, which is rare for the model — at a look, somebody may imagine this to be one of many Carl F. Bucherer tourbillon fashions. Attention-grabbing be aware: Vacheron Constantin discusses how the tourbillon’s cage within the 3200 motion is powered by the seconds indicator hand. That is versus the fourth wheel on the gear prepare, and it apparently permits for a cleaner view behind the tourbillon cage as a part of the open window on the dial.
Provided that the Tourbillon Chronograph is within the Traditionnelle assortment, the dial has elegant brand-style dauphine palms and matching utilized pink gold hour markers. The case is a beefy 42.5mm-wide, however it is just 11.7mm-thick, so the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph shouldn’t put on too giant. The case is, nevertheless, water-resistant to solely 30 meters.
Going again to the dial, I do know it’s basic, however why are manufacturers seemingly required to print tachymeter scales on two out of three chronograph watches? Nobody has used these scales for therefore lengthy, and it looks as if a disgrace that nobody has thought of some sort of scale for use with a chronograph that may have extra modern relevance. Give it some thought, we worth these watches for not molesting our eyes with pointless decor or spurious design parts. All of the whereas, we go wild for markers on chronograph dials that nobody has really wanted to make use of in 40 years. I’ll let Vacheron Constantin slide as a result of “Traditionelle” is within the identify of the product, however transferring ahead I’d like to observe designers to fake like folks may wish to use these watches immediately for some goal aside from to wrist-strut as a tycoon may.
Borne of the grand complication division at Vacheron Constantin, the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph is, nonetheless, very intellectually accessible as a result of its enchantment is so visceral. Positive, it has a excessive price of entry, however it’s a conventional Swiss tourbillon with a Seal of Geneva-signed motion. Should you aren’t among the many elite few who can afford all that hand-finishing, then maybe the TAG Heuer resolution is a viable choice for you. I’m wanting ahead to placing this Vacheron on my wrist. Value for the 18okay pink gold reference 5100T/000R-B623 Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph is $197,000 USD. Be taught extra on the Vacheron Constantin web site right here.
