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VACHERON CONSTANTIN Presents Two new Patrimony Traditionelle WorldTime

When Vacheron Constantin introduced its Patrimony Traditionnelle World Time it was the first mechanical replica watch that showed the time in 37 time zones (most world timer replica watches feature 24 time zones),  along with a day/ night indication courtesy of the shading on the map. Moreover, it was also notable on its release for the fact that there is only one crown for making all adjustments.

You may recollect an earlier post about one of Vacheron’s most well-known contemporary pieces, the 37 time zone Traditionelle World Time, in pink gold. A couple of months ago they brought out another 18K 5N pink gold version but this time with a pink gold dial, plus an 18K white gold version.

A quick recap of the dial and functionality.

The display consists of three dials: a sapphire dial with the rotating day/night indication shading (18:00-06:00 being the darkened area), a metal dial with a Lambert projection map, and a metal chapter ring. To use it, you choose the reference point and put it at the black triangle at 6 o’clock. The time at the reference point can then be read either via the traditional hour or by the 24-hour disc, and the other time zones via the disc. The cities in black text are the full time zones, whilst the cities in red text are half or quarter-hour zones. It is all operated/ adjusted via a single crown.

 

The main novelty of this new edition of the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle World Time is its dial and the map. Previously painted in blue and white as per the link in the first paragraph, the map is now made of solid gold, 3D-engraved, and with raised continents with a sun-brushed finish and sand-blasted seas. A geometric pattern on the top helps to locate the 24 main time-zones. The inked 24-hour ring has also been redesigned, with a darkened area from 18:30 to 06:30.

The rest is the same. Inside is Vacheron Constantin’s in-house designed/ developed/ manufactured Calibre 2460WT automatic movement with a gold oscillating weight, 28,800 VPH and a forty-hour power reserve. The movement itself is a rather significant 36.60mm, which means that the replica watch case is 42.5mm.

Johann Heinrich Lambert was a German/French mathematician and scientist who in 1772 released his Conformal Conic (LCC) projection in his publication ‘Anmerkungen und Zusätze zur Entwerfung der Land- und Himmelscharten’. Today the Lambert Conformal Conic projection has become a standard projection for mapping large areas (small scale) in the mid-latitudes – such as USA, Europe and Australia.

What the LCC does is to set a cone over the Earth’s sphere and project the surface onto the cone, which is then ‘unrolled’ and scaled, with scale decreasing between the two parallels and increasing outside them.

As mentioned at the outset, as well as this model Vacheron Constantin also released a new 18k white gold version at the fair, with a white gold dial.

Again, the basic specifications are the same with this new model, the differences lie in the metal and the dial.

Changes in colours (and textures) can completely change the look of a replica watch, and much of the replica watch world is about providing choices that are variations along a basic theme. These new dials have their appeal (especially the pink gold version, which is rather elegant) but for me, the original pips these at the post. I have suspicions that this may be because of an unconscious perhaps rather conservative predilection towards blue for projection maps on replica watch dials.

 

For more information on both, click here, and now it’s time for all of these time zones to make their way into 2016 one by one.

See you on the flipside.

[Horologium attended Replica Watches & Wonders 2015 by invitation of Richemont Australia]

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Vacheron Constantin Replica

Replica VACHERON CONSTANTIN : Two new Patrimony Traditionelle WorldTime

You may recollect an earlier post about one of Vacheron’s most well-known contemporary pieces, the 37 time zone Traditionelle World Time, in pink gold. A couple of months ago they brought out another 18K 5N pink gold version but this time with a pink gold dial, plus an 18K white gold version.

A quick recap of the dial and functionality.

When Vacheron Constantin introduced its Patrimony Traditionnelle World Time it was the first mechanical replica watch that showed the time in 37 time zones (most world timer replica watches feature 24 time zones),  along with a day/ night indication courtesy of the shading on the map. Moreover, it was also notable on its release for the fact that there is only one crown for making all adjustments.

The display consists of three dials: a sapphire dial with the rotating day/night indication shading (18:00-06:00 being the darkened area), a metal dial with a Lambert projection map, and a metal chapter ring. To use it, you choose the reference point and put it at the black triangle at 6 o’clock. The time at the reference point can then be read either via the traditional hour or by the 24-hour disc, and the other time zones via the disc. The cities in black text are the full time zones, whilst the cities in red text are half or quarter-hour zones. It is all operated/ adjusted via a single crown.

Johann Heinrich Lambert was a German/French mathematician and scientist who in 1772 released his Conformal Conic (LCC) projection in his publication ‘Anmerkungen und Zusätze zur Entwerfung der Land- und Himmelscharten’. Today the Lambert Conformal Conic projection has become a standard projection for mapping large areas (small scale) in the mid-latitudes – such as USA, Europe and Australia.

What the LCC does is to set a cone over the Earth’s sphere and project the surface onto the cone, which is then ‘unrolled’ and scaled, with scale decreasing between the two parallels and increasing outside them.

The main novelty of this new edition of the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle World Time is its dial and the map. Previously painted in blue and white as per the link in the first paragraph, the map is now made of solid gold, 3D-engraved, and with raised continents with a sun-brushed finish and sand-blasted seas. A geometric pattern on the top helps to locate the 24 main time-zones. The inked 24-hour ring has also been redesigned, with a darkened area from 18:30 to 06:30.

The rest is the same. Inside is Vacheron Constantin’s in-house designed/ developed/ manufactured Calibre 2460WT automatic movement with a gold oscillating weight, 28,800 VPH and a forty-hour power reserve. The movement itself is a rather significant 36.60mm, which means that the replica watch case is 42.5mm.

As mentioned at the outset, as well as this model Vacheron Constantin also released a new 18k white gold version at the fair, with a white gold dial.

Again, the basic specifications are the same with this new model, the differences lie in the metal and the dial.

Changes in colours (and textures) can completely change the look of a replica watch, and much of the replica watch world is about providing choices that are variations along a basic theme. These new dials have their appeal (especially the pink gold version, which is rather elegant) but for me, the original pips these at the post. I have suspicions that this may be because of an unconscious perhaps rather conservative predilection towards blue for projection maps on replica watch dials.

For more information on both, click here, and now it’s time for all of these time zones to make their way into 2016 one by one.

See you on the flipside.

[Horologium attended Replica Watches & Wonders 2015 by invitation of Richemont Australia]

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Vacheron Constantin Replica

REPLICA VACHERON CONSTANTIN : Overseas Blue LimitedEditions

For all the focus on the brand new Harmony Collection and then the Cornes de Vache 1955 from Vacheron Constantin this anniversary year, there have been some models that seem to have garnered less public attention, so it’s time to shine some light on two of them.

Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas models have long been popular, even though they seem to be somewhat overshadowed by the sports replica watches from some other brands. In their own way they’ve established themselves as a quiet and steady presence away from the razzle dazzle of the annual novelties.

Two limited edition models were released earlier this year and we had the opportunity to photograph them at Replica Watches & Wonders 2015. Both in (brushed and polished) stainless steel and sized at 42mm, Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas Blue Date and Overseas Blue Dual Time are the latest Overseas to bear this dial colour.

The more simple of the two models contains the automatic Calibre 1226 SC movement with a power reserve of forty-hours. It has a solid case back stamped with the ‘Overseas’ medallion.

The Dual Time model uses the automatic Calibre 1222 SC, which has a power reserve of forty-hours and an accompanying large power reserve indication between 8 and 11 o’clock. The addition of this module makes the case thicker than the date-only version, at 12.45mm (9.7mm for the date model).

Both new models have a screw-down crown and the Dual Time model has a screw-down pusher as well.

The blue of the dials is bold and shines a little, which makes for a very different look to the pre-existing colours; a bit more sporty if you will. The date window has a white background, and knowing how particular people can be about date windows, this may be one detail that some would wish changed to a blue background to blend in with the dial (whilst acknowledging that this is also the case for the other colour variants, so this thought is a general one). The hours and minute hands and indices are all lumed.

Released in a limited edition of 350 and 300 pieces respectively, both models come with two dark blue straps – one in vulcanised rubber and the other, alligator.

[Horologium attended Replica Watches & Wonders 2015 by invitation of Richemont Australia]

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Vacheron Constantin Replica

Replica VACHERON CONSTANTIN : Historiques Cornes de vache1955

One of my favourite releases of 2015 has been from luxury replica Vacheron Constantin – the Historiques Cornes de vache 1955 chronograph. Given that I saw it during the same few days (in Hong Kong) as I did the A.Lange & Söhne 1815 Boutique-only Chronograph, it was great opportunity to be able to see and compare two such stunning (front and back sides) old-school chronographs. Although the Harmony chronographs released by Vacheron Constantin this year have been rather splendid, this Cornes de Vache probably just pips it at the post for me, in part due to how it wears.

The Historiques Cornes de vache 1955 has been inspired by, as the name aptly states, a classic 1955 chronograph with ‘cow horn’ lugs, the Reference 6087. The original on which this new release is based was 18 carat yellow gold, 35mm in size, and contained the manual-wind Calibre 492.

The new one, however, is a very comfortable 38.50mm diametre (making it arguably more wearable for more people as a dress replica watch if we compare it with the Harmony Chronograph’s 42mm x 52mm) and 10.9mm thick in a 950 Pt case with the same ‘cow horn’ lugs. Visible through an open case back is the manual-wind Calibre 1142, with a forty-eight hour power reserve and 21,600VPH.

This is a faithful modernisation of a classic Vacheron Constantin piece. As well as keeping the same lugs and being restrained with regards to size, they have kept with the original bi-compax layout of the 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a small seconds at 9 o’clock. A slightly larger size compared to the original has meant some more space on the dial  and increased legibility. The dial itself is silvered opaline with a brushed minute track and tachymeter scale. The indices are white gold. A mix of Roman numerals and applied indices, a tachymeter scale, bi-compax layout…the whole replica watch screams vintage Vacheron chronograph design.

This new Vacheron Constantin has a presence; when you handle it you want to put it on your wrist. It really is an extremely elegant replica watch from a Manufacture with a very long and significant history of making chronographs. As I mentioned at the outset, the Harmony Chronograph range is rather beautiful and has a buttery smooth  chronograph pusher, but they have a stronger wrist presence because of their size; this new Cornes de vache 1955 gives a smaller (and round) option for someone looking for a modern chronograph dress replica watch from the brand.

Do you know what? So what if its name is ‘cow horns’. It is matter of fact, you don’t have to remember too many reference numbers, and it is, as they say, what it says on the packet. With their tapering curves it is the lugs that give the replica watch that extra bit of character.

Its parent the Reference 6087 was apparently only produced in 36 pieces (28 in yellow gold, six in rose gold), but this one will be more easily obtained. The Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955 will be limited in production but not number and price is 62,000 EUR. For a look at some vintage Vacheron Constantin chronograph, go to this post of our visit to their chronograph exhibition in January 2015.

[Horologium attended Replica Watches & Wonders 2015 by invitation of Richemont Australia]

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Vacheron Constantin Replica

Replica Vacheron Constantin HarmonyChronograph

As mentioned earlier this year, Vacheron Constantin introduced a completely new collection called ‘Harmony’ to celebrate their 260th anniversary in 2015. We have already covered the Harmony Tourbillon Chronograph, and today’s replica watch is the simple  Chronograph, perhaps the one that is the purest representation of the 1928 cushion-cased model which inspired this new collection.

Firstly, the externals. The case is 18 carat 5N pink gold, and a very modern size, 42mm x 52mm, with a thickness of 12.81mm. The dial has a small seconds at 9 o’clock, a 45-minute counter for the chronograph at 3 o’clock, and a power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock.

With its pulsometric scale in red and blued hands, even without the reference to a 1928 vintage replica watch this is clearly a very classically designed piece, and there is little doubt that it was inspired by vintage chronographs intended for medical use.

Inside is the new manual-wind Chronograph Calibre 3300, a column-wheel monopusher movement with a 65-hour power reserve that is visible through an open case back, with its hand-engraved scroll decoration on the cock-bridge, and the Vacheron Maltese Cross. Happily, all the 260th anniversary models have some form of engraving on their movements.

This is an elegant handsome replica watch with a strong presence and a beautiful movement, but its size may not be for all. If you want an idea about the size of the Harmony Chronograph, another modern Vacheron cushion case, the American 1921, is 40mm x 40mm.

The Harmony Chronograph is limited to 260 numbered pieces.

In commemoration of their year of the chronograph, Vacheron Constantin held a special exhibition in their Geneva museum, which we visited earlier this year. You can read more about it, and see some photographs of exhibits, at this link.

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Vacheron Constantin Replica

Replica VACHERON CONSTANTIN : Metiers d’Art MecaniquesGravées

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During this, the year of their 260th anniversary, Vacheron Constantin have added to their Métiers d’Art collection with two new platinum replica watches with hand-engraved in-house movements – calibres 22601/1 and 4400/1. What these two pieces share in common are the engraved acanthus leaves on their time only and tourbilon movements respectively.

The first Mécaniques Gravées model is time-only, containing the manual-wind Calibre 4400/1 with a power reserve of 65 hours. The replica watch itself is 39mm in diametre, 8.5mm thick, and made from 950 Pt with hands in white gold and a slate great minute minute track.

Now for the special part – both the front and back of the movement, including plates and bridges, are hand engraved with an ornate pattern of acanthus leaves. It takes a master engraver more than ten days to complete each movement, delicately cutting away at it by 0.2 mm or less, with the most shallow sections less than 0.35 mm thick.

The other new Métiers d’Art model has, as its skeletonised based, the Calibre 2260 also found in Vacheron’s Patrimony Traditionnelle Tourbillon 14 Days, hence its name ‘Métiers d’Art Mecaniques Gravées 14-Day Tourbillon’. The manual-wind Cal.2260 is composed of 231 parts, has a 336-hour power reserve and beats at 18,000VPH.

The 14-day tourbillon Mécaniques Gravées also has white gold hands and a platinum case. The tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock doubles as a seconds indicator, and there is a power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock with scale markers to indicate each 12-hour period of the fourteen days ‘printed’ on the crystal. As is the case with any skeletonised replica watch, to see this may require a little peering for some. There is a similar printed circular scale around the tourbillon, whose cage is the Vacheron Maltese cross. The replica watch has a diametre of 41mm and is 12.35mm thick. Through the caseback you can see the two large bridges again engraved with an acanthus pattern.

Both pieces come on a hand-stitched dark blue alligator strap with a platinum buckle and as a bonus, a magnifying glass as well. In case you are wondering – yes the really quite exquisite decoration (especially that visible through the caseback) is engraved free hand.

For another example of Vacheron’s skeletonised replica watches go to this link, and for examples of dial artistry and skeletonisation, go to this post.

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Swiss Replica

SIHH 2015 : Replica Vacheron Constantin ‘Harmony’ TourbillonChronograph

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Harmony of form and function, harmony in music, of thought, of companionship, of the tastebuds. A common word, but perhaps unexpected as the name of the new Vacheron Constantin collection introduced at SIHH 2015 to mark their 260th anniversary.

As is to be expected the six models which form part of the Harmony collection are limited. For those who were fortunate enough to see the Vacheron Constantin chronograph exhibition at the Museum as we did (more in a later post about this visit, but in the meantime go to #thewatchnerd for an introductory post) it all falls into place, as they are inspired by a cushion case shaped chronograph introduced in 1928.

This new model contains the in-house manual wind Calibre 3200 with hand-engraved bridge, tourbillon and monopusher functions as per the name, all in a 950 platinum case measuring a pretty decently sized 42mm x 52mm (12.81mm thick) and a limited edition of twenty-six numbered pieces – there is not just ‘No. X/ 26” on the case to mark the limitation, but also “260th Anniversary”.

Those familiar with high quality replica Vacheron Constantin will know of the American 1921 model in terms of their modern interpretations of cushion-case vintage pieces.The case itself consists of a curved middle, a square bezel and a round replica watch glass.

As mentioned above, the special anniversary Calibre 3200 features a bridge hand-engraved with scrolling patterns with what is called a ‘fleurisanne engraving’, inspired by decorations that were on the balance-cock of the oldest pocket replica watch belonging to the Maison and signed by Jean-Marc Vacheron in 1755.

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Vacheron Constantin Replica

Well travelled : Replica Vacheron Constantin’s Patrimony Traditionelle WorldTime

VCPatrimonyTraditionelleWorldTime1

With SIHH 2015 almost upon us and the ever present push to focus on the next new thing, it is important sometimes to sit back and be reminded of replica watches that may have been launched a few years ago (2011, to be precise) but which are still an active and present part of a brand’s collection.

When Vacheron Constantin introduced its Patrimony Traditionnelle WorldTime it was the first mechanical replica watch that told the time in all 37 timezones; that is, you can simultaneously read the time in all regions, along with a day/ night indication courtesy of the shading on the map. Moreover, it was also notable on its release for the fact that there is only one crown for making all adjustments.

In the intervening years this replica watch has proven to be not just popular but also one of Vacheron Constantin’s most identifiable pieces. The display consists of three dials: a sapphire dial with the rotating day/night indication shading (6pm-6am being the darkened area), a metal dial with a Lambert projection map, and a metal chapter ring. To use it, you choose the reference point and put it at the black triangle at 6 o’clock. The time at the reference point can then be read either via the traditional hour or by the 24-hour disc, and the other time zones via the disc. The cities in black text are the full time zones, whilst the cities in red text are half or quarter-hour zones.

Johann Heinrich Lambert was a German/French mathematician and scientist who in 1772 released his Conformal Conic (LCC) projection in his publication Anmerkungen und Zusätze zur Entwerfung der Land- und Himmelscharten.. Today the Lambert Conformal Conic projection has become a standard projection for mapping large areas (small scale) in the mid-latitudes – such as USA, Europe and Australia.

What the LCC does is to set a cone over the Earth’s sphere and project the surface onto the cone, which is then ‘unrolled’ and scaled, with scale decreasing between the two parallels and increasing outside them. You can read more about it here.

Running this small horological masterpiece is the Vacheron Constantin in-house designed/ developed/ manufactured Calibre 2460WT automatic movement with a gold oscillating weight, 28,800 VPH and a forty-hour power reserve. At a hefty 36.60mm, this means that the replica watch itself is 42.5mm, a size which is really quite moderate by contemporary standards.

This original World Time was in 18k pink gold but as mentioned recently, the Patrimony Traditionnelle World Time is now available in platinum, as part of Vacheron’s ‘Collection Excellence Platine’. Launched at Replica Watches & Wonders 2014, this will no doubt be welcome news for the white metal lovers.

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Vacheron Constantin Replica

PHOTOS : Replica Vacheron Constantin’s FabuleuxOrnements

VCMetiersdArtFabuleuxOrnementsIndianMS3

Earlier this year I featured wonderful replica Vacheron Constantin’s Fabuleux Ornements collection which debuted at SIHH 2014. Recently I had the opportunity, with thanks to Vacheron Constantin Australia, of looking at these stunning replica watches at greater leisure here in Sydney, and so I bring to you some more photos of these works of art. For more information on them, click on the link above.

CHINESE EMBROIDERY GLYPTICS

OTTOMAN ARCHITECTURE

A movement shot.

INDIAN MANUSCRIPT

Last but not least, French Lace, a piece for which, seeing it again (and yes, under a loupe), I developed a new appreciation.

These are some of my favourite 2014 releases, and if you look at them under a loupe (I used a Loupe System), it brings a whole new level of realisation of the immense skill and artistry involved in the handwork that has gone into each replica watch. The angles on the Ottoman piece, when seen close up, are astonishing. These are deeply elegant replica watches but more importantly, they are realisations of often unheralded artisans. If you get the opportunity to look at these limited edition pieces, grab it.

Unfortunately, they are not available in Australia, but are POA in Vacheron Constantin boutiques worldwide.

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Vacheron Constantin Replica

Replica Vacheron Constantin Malte TourbillonOpenworked

VCMalteOpenworkTourbillonPlat5

Recently, Horologium blogged about the fake Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon Openworked, one of the pieces launched at SIHH 2014. The photos used in that post were part of many that were taken of Vacheron’s releases during the rather frantic ten or fifteen minutes following a press sesion. As such, they perhaps had the frisson of being immediate, but suffered from the lighting and timing conditions at the time.

Recently, with thanks to Vacheron Constantin Australia, I had the opportunity to revisit some of this year’s releases in slightly more relaxing surrounds, albeit with a distracting view of Sydney Harbour from the Royal Suite at the Shangri La competing for attention, so today’s post consists of some more detailed photos of this new replica watch, and another chance to see the incredible openworking.

To read more about this platinum piece, with its incredible skeletonised movement, read my original post here. The Australian RRP is $319,900.