Vacheron Constantin | Traditionnelle complete calendar openface
Classically inspired with its round case with fluted back, its railway minute-track and Dauphine-type hands, the Traditionnelle complete calendar openface model is adorned with a contemporary aesthetic reflecting the heritage of Geneva’s grand 18th century watchmaking tradition.
This model adopts an avant-garde profile with these two distinctive versions. The openworked sapphire dial reveals Calibre 2460 QCL/2, whose mainplate and bridges are highlighted by anthracite NAC treatment. The triple calendar display, complemented by a precision moon phase, gains in depth through its functional and contemporary style.
Revisiting the fine historical traditions of watchmaking
The Traditionnelle collection, which perpetuates the spirit of Geneva’s watchmakers during the Age of Enlightenment, adopts a highly sophisticated style with two new elegant models equipped with a complete calendar. Framed by a 41mm case in 18K white gold or 18K 5N pink gold, they appear in an openface version with a sapphire dial. This transparency brings out the details of Calibre 2460 QCL/2, which adopts a contrasting anthracite grey colour achieved by NAC galvanic surface treatment. This new interpretation combining contemporary design and watchmaking heritage is reminiscent of the Traditionnelle Twin Beat perpetual calendar model presented in 2019.
Airy construction
The characteristic features of the Traditionnelle collection – including the stepped round case and lugs, the fluted caseback, the slim bezel, the railway minute-track, the bi-facetted Dauphine-type hands and the gold baton-style hour-markers – embed these two models firmly in the watchmaking heritage of the Maison. The opening onto the movement structure (perfectly visible on both sides of the watch and featuring an anthracite grey colour achieved by NAC treatment) highlights its mechanical power.
Surrounded by a slate grey opaline flange on which a central hand points to the date, the upper part of the sapphire crystal dial features a likewise slate grey guilloché segment as well as applied gold hour-markers. The resulting three-part dial overlooks the sapphire discs providing an aperture-type display of the days and months.
The moon-phase disc, with its two realistic transferred depictions of Earth’s satellite, is also covered by a translucent sapphire mask. This airy construction provides a chance to admire the various movement components, including the bridges and mainplate featuring an original vertical upright finish on the front.
The “openface” design highlights the technical nature of this complete calendar watch. This complication, also known as the triple calendar, indicates the date, day and month, complemented on these models by a moon phase.
Calibre 2460 QCL/2
Beating at the heart of these two new timepieces is Calibre 2460 QCL/2 with its 312 components. This calibre is an evolution of the 2450, the first self-winding movement entirely designed and developed by the brand. Equipped with a stop-seconds mechanism, it beats at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour and is endowed with a 40-hour power reserve. In addition to its triple calendar indications, it drives a moon-phase display requiring only one correction every 122 years.
The caseback reveals all the finishes one would expect from an Haute Horlogerie movement, with a circular-grained mainplate, chamfered bridges and Côtes de Genève motif. Water-resistant to 30 metres, these two Traditionnelle complete calendar openface models are fitted with a calfskin-lined grey alligator strap secured by a pink or white gold pin buckle.