It appears nearly heresy that a member of watchmaking’s “holy trinity” ever dared to cater to a youthful viewers with a extra approachable heritage-inspired design powered by a closely embellished ebauche motion, however that’s what we had been offered with in 2018 when Vacheron Constantin unveiled the FiftySix assortment. Now in its third season, the FiftySix appears to have silenced its critics and settled into its personal, confidently dressing up traditional problems in a wide range of youthful colours and valuable steel combos — all of which nonetheless properly complement its wonderful case structure and minimalist dial. Final yr, we acquired blue dials in chrome steel instances, and this yr for Watches and Wonders 2020, we’ve acquired a twist on the unique rose gold-cased choices with a pair of latest coffee-colored dials within the Date and Full Calendar variants, yielding an attention-grabbing sepia-toned aesthetic.
Specs
Model: Vacheron Constantin
Mannequin: FiftySix Self-Winding Date (ref. 4600E/000R-B576)
Dimensions: 40mm-wide, 9.6mm-thick
Water Resistance: 3atm (30 meters)
Case Materials: 18ok rose gold
Crystal/Lens: sapphire
Motion: Vacheron Constantin cal. 1326 (computerized)
Frequency: 4Hz
Energy Reserve: 48 hours
Strap/Bracelet: brown calfskin leather-based
Worth & Availability: $18,700 USD
It’s nearly as if fellow group members Jaeger LeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin have been speaking to one another, as this specific line extension of the FiftySix feels eerily just like JLC’s Grasp Management Date and Grasp Management Calendar refresh additionally unveiled this weekend. However whereas the JLC actions are produced in-house by Jaeger LeCoultre, the actions in each these new Vacheron references aren’t technically the totally in-house-produced calibres that we’re used to seeing from the venerable “holy trinity” producer. Each the Date and the Calendar calibres have, as an alternative, been produced by the Richemont group’s ValFleurier manufactory as ebauches, then deployed all through the group. It’s value noting, although, that Vacheron Constantin does carry out in depth ending in-house on the actions — significantly with the gold rotor, which will get some lovely beveling and hand-engraving.
Specs
Model: Vacheron Constantin
Mannequin: FiftySix Full Calendar (ref. 4000E/000R-B065)
Dimensions: 40mm-wide, 11.6mm thick
Water Resistance: 3atm (30 meters)
Case Materials: 18ok rose gold
Crystal/Lens: sapphire
Motion: Vacheron Constantin cal. 2460 QCL/1 (computerized, day, date, month, moonphase)
Frequency: 4Hz
Energy Reserve: 48 hours
Strap/Bracelet: brown calfskin leather-based
Worth & Availability: $33,700 USD
I’ve at all times personally actually preferred the FiftySix assortment from Vacheron Constantin. Possibly not as a lot because the Quai de L’Ile choices, which use true Geneva Seal-certified actions produced and completed solely in-house by Vacheron, however for some watch followers, the motion isn’t every part. So for those who’re heeding the recommendation of armchair specialists who advocate one by no means purchase a watch just for the motion, the FiftySix is a platform designed to stir feelings in a purely aesthetic sense, as a grasp class in case design and mid-century trendy minimalism. The costs of every of the sepia-toned new FiftySix watches command solely a slight premium over their silver-dialed cousins rendered in the identical valuable steel. As soon as once more, the FiftySix Self-Winding Date begins at $18,700 USD, and the Full Calendar jumps to $33,700 USD — a financial savings of round $15,000 ought to one choose to leap to a comparable gold-cased Quai de L’Ile providing. Be taught extra in regards to the FiftySix assortment at vacheron-constantin.com.
