vacheron constantin self-winding 47120

Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle Calibre 2253A couple of weeks ago, the ultra-premium Swiss watch brand has revealed its new Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle Calibre 2253 watch featuring a perpetual calendar, a minute repeater, a tourbillon and, omg, an equation of time complication.Frankly speaking, I never really understood the equation of time complication. Sunrise and sunset indicators come in handy in January (at least, in the Northern hemisphere,) when you get the winter blues and only these little buggers assure you that everything is going to be alright, that day is getting longer and the Summer is on its way. Perpetual calendar is good for those suffering of Alzheimer’s, and the tourbillon, as well as minute repeater, is just plain mesmerizing.The logic of why does one need to know the deviation of the apparent solar time from the mean solar time, if he or she is not an astronomer or a skipper without a GPS navigation system, somehow escapes me. Perhaps, this kind of useless complications exists just for its own sake. Or, more likely, serves the purpose of telling the world that the owner of the watch can afford one.Well, back to our sheep. Like all members of the Patrimony Traditionelle line, the “Calibre 2253″ model sports a beautifully executed case with a transparent display back giving a good view at its gorgeous hand-wound movement.However, its noticeably off-centered dial is ruined with three extra indicators: two for the sunrise and sunset indicators at 8 o’clock and 4 o’clock respectively and the equation of time indicator between 10 and 11 o’clock.Well, to put it more clearly, the indicators are alright, it is the color of hands that spoil the things. Trying to increase the watch’s legibility, Vacheron Constantin decided to make the small hands in bright blue while leaving the hour and minute hands in its original color of platinum. As a result, the seven small hands dominate the dial making it look busy and even messy. Perhaps, VC should have executed them of platinum or in rhodiumed gold and left them at that.All things considered, this is an interesting and even desirable watch, which is going to be a much thought-after collector’s item even in 2050s, since it will be produced in an ultra-limited edition of only 10 (ten) pieces. It is also okay to wear the watch with proud. Just remember that vanity is the seventh deadly sin.

Vacheron Constantin has revealed the latest in their Explorer series of watches. The two new models celebrate Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus (previous models were devoted to the Chinese admiral Zheng Hé and Magellan). The enamelled dial is made of two parts that partially overlap. The top part features a map of the explorer's journeys and the bottom part shows twelve hour numerals traversing a 132° minute scale on the lower part of the dial. The case is 18K gold and measures 40mm and the movement is the automatic Vacheron in-house caliber 1126AT, with 36 jewels, beating at 28,800 bph and with a power reserve of 40 hours. There are 60 watches of each explorer.