Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Break up-Seconds Chronograph ‘Tempo’ Watch

For Watches & Wonders Digital 2020, Swiss Vacheron Constantin has fairly the lineup of recent watches — particularly in contrast with a lot of its colleagues inside the Richemont Group. That stated, the manufacturing volumes of Vacheron Constantin’s biggest items may be very low, particularly within the case of its Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Break up-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo” reference 9740C/000R-B692 watch: That manufacturing quantity is only one.

This isn’t the primary time Vacheron Constantin has debuted a one-of-a-kind watch individuals can’t really purchase. I consider this explicit watch was already “pre-sold,” as Vacheron Constantin wouldn’t have even endeavored to create this watch if it weren’t a part of a non-public order. As a substitute, the debut of watches from the esteemed Les Cabinotiers group inside Vacheron Constantin is to promote these particular providers. There are many luxurious watchmakers that can produce a novel watch dial and another beauty components of a timepiece, however there are only a few established manufacturers corresponding to Vacheron Constantin that can endeavor to create a completely new motion. When you suppose such a service should be costly, take into account your self appropriate.

The brand new mechanism inside Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Break up-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo” is a layer cake of horological complexity. Vacheron Constantin calls the motion its caliber 2756, and it’s comprised of a whopping 1,163 particular person components. To place that into perspective, most mechanical watches have actions with fewer than 200 components.

The 2756 motion is actually a sandwich of modules that, collectively, lead to a full 24 issues, and the watch encompasses a tourbillon, in addition to minute repeater. To place all these issues in a single watch, Vacheron Constantin employs the now-common tactic of creating the watch case double-sided. Whether or not or not the watch is wearable is one other story. Whereas most of what Vacheron Constantin makes are elegant costume watches, the  new Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Break up-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo” is a full 50mm large in 18ok pink gold. The case is “solely” 21mm-thick. I can’t wait to take a wrist shot.

Whereas this watch is, certainly, very cool, I’m not positive if I might name it stunning. This can be a distinctly masculine, even macho, sort of product that pushes the restrict of how aggressive an in any other case basic Vacheron Constantin timepiece will be. The crenelation-style bezel work provides to the sturdy look, and the dials are extra instrumental than ornamental in model.

Vacheron Constantin considers the face with the 4 subdials to be the watch’s foremost dial. It options the time on the higher left subdial, chronograph on the higher proper subdial, and the 2 decrease subdials are reserved for the perpetual calendar complication indicators. The principle dial is used for the split-second chronograph seconds palms. I discover it fascinating how a lot the dial focuses on the usability of the chronograph — which says one thing in regards to the intention of the proprietor.

Flip the watch over, and also you’ll discover much more complication along with the minute repeater slider, which is situated on the facet of the case. This facet of the dial has a big opening to the hand-decorated tourbillon, in addition to dawn and sundown occasions (linked to 1 metropolis that the proprietor of the watch should pre-select earlier than ordering such a product).

Additionally on this facet of the dial is a particular hand- and scale-based moon part indicator, equation of time hand, and a power-reserve indicator for the two.5Hz frequency, 65-hour energy reserve manually wound caliber 2756 Vacheron Constantin motion.

To put on the watch on both facet, the Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Break up-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo” is fitted with a lug system that flips round in order that the watch will be usually worn regardless of the dial one chooses. Whereas technically marvelous and clearly a treasure for whomever owns it, the watch doesn’t really do something new, nor does it meaningfully break any new floor when it comes to design or technical novelty, so far as I do know. Extra so, Vacheron Constantin makes an attempt to attach the watch with a advertising relationship the model has with Abbey Highway Studios. Vacheron Constantin apparently refers to one-off items corresponding to this as “La Musique de Temps” (the music of time). However except for this pretty creation having a conventional minute repeater complication, I don’t see any precise connection between it and the world of recorded music, or the work that has occurred at Abbey Highway Studios over in England.

It is going to be thrilling to expertise the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Break up-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo” watch hands-on. I’m notably curious as to what it seems like on the wrist, in addition to desperate to expertise the operation of the split-second chronograph. I additionally hope that the proprietor of the watch takes it out and wears it every so often, even when it basically is a pocket watch that’s fitted to be worn on the wrist. Vacheron Constantin has not indicated a value for the reference 9740C/000R-B692 watch, however my guess is that it’s north of 1 million dollars. Study extra on the Vacheron Constantin web site right here.