Vacheron Constantin
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DETAILS
Vacheron Constantin has come a long way to present its own interpretation of a sporty luxury watch with a perpetual calendar. Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin’s eternal rival and neighbor on the watch Olympus, introduced the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in 1983 (1984 is the year of its official presentation), which has been quietly counting dates according to the Julian calendar algorithm ever since, although it was not until 1996 that it received a modern leap year display. The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar is one of the brand’s most popular complication watches. Patek Philippe, on the other hand, the globally recognized pinnacle of watchmaking, only launched the Nautilus Perpetual Calendar 5740 in 2018, and since then there has only been one version, the 5740/1G-001.
The history of Vacheron Constantin’s luxury sports watches is a convoluted one that began with the launch of the "222" collection in 1977. After the demise of this design, the sporty luxury watch was relaunched as the Phidias, which also failed to catch on, only to pass the baton to the Overseas in 1996, although it retained the integrated Phidias bracelet. The second version, which we refer to as Overseas II, appeared in 2004 with a Maltese cross-style bracelet. The Overseas II collection features a perpetual calendar for the first time: this happened in 2011 when the brand introduced the Overseas II Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 49020, the most complex watch in the collection at the time. Inside ticks the caliber 1136 QP, which is based on the Frédéric Piguet 11.85.
REASONS TO BUY
Overseas III Perpetual Calendar Skeleton Ultra-Thin Ref. 4300V/120G-B946 is undoubtedly a rare watch whose elegant, slender design is complemented by such valuable features for everyday use as a self-winding movement and a perpetual calendar function that does not require the date to be set manually when the watch is in continuous use. In our opinion, this watch is characterized by its unmistakable design, in the spirit and style of Vacheron Constantin, one of the oldest watch brands and definitely the oldest that has never stopped working. The ultra-thin perpetual calendar is a masterpiece of watchmaking that only the best brands can master. With this Overseas III Perpetual Calendar, Vacheron Constantin shows how attractive this traditional complication can be in a modern guise.
ABOUT THIS WATCH
There is no doubt that this was a fully-fledged perpetual calendar, but the collection still lacked a traditional perpetual calendar in its pure form, without additional complications. This version appeared in the third and, for the time being, last incarnation of the Overseas, which was launched in 2016. The Overseas III was (finally!) granted the right to bear the new Poinçon de Genève, which means that not only the movement but also the case is marked with the watch industry’s highest seal of quality. In the updated collection, the first Overseas III Perpetual Calendar with a white gold case and bracelet was introduced in the same year 2016. In 2020, a skeletonized version of the Overseas III Perpetual Calendar in rose gold was added to the collection, shortly before the launch of the Overseas III Perpetual Calendar Skeleton Ultra-Thin Ref. 4300V/120G-B946 (the present watch) in 2021.
This watch is powered by the self-winding caliber 1120 QPSQ/1, which is based on the ultra-thin caliber 1120, the same caliber that powers the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar. Of course, the Overseas III Perpetual Calendar Skeleton Ultra-Thin is a skeletonized version with a dark grey finish on the mainplate and bridges. It should be noted that this watch is the thinnest among its competitors: the Overseas III Perpetual Calendar has a case height of 8.1 mm, while the Nautilus Perpetual Calendar measures 8.42 mm and the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar 9.5 mm. All three are excellent representatives of their genre, but the Overseas III Perpetual Calendar must be considered the first among equals.
The Overseas III Perpetual Calendar appears to be a promising alternative to other sporty and elegant perpetual calendars, its classmates. It offers its own distinctive style and high-quality craftsmanship, confirmed by the Poinçon de Genève seal of quality, which is not only affixed to the movements but also to the watches - a custom that originated in 2011. Vacheron Constantin is the rare brand (probably the only one) whose in-house sports watch has been awarded the Poinçon de Genève. Furthermore, while there is no information on the number of pieces issued, which is typical of Vacheron Constantin, annual production is definitely limited and offerings on the secondary market are quite rare compared to its competitors.
Specifications
| Ref | 4300V | |
| D= | 41.5mm | |
| Glass | Sapfire glass | |
| Claps | Ardillon buckle | |
| Functions | Hand-type day of the week, Minutes, Hand-type date, Moon phase, 48-month counter with leap year indication, Hand-type month, Hours, Perpetual calendar | |
| Dial | Skeleton | |
| Case material | White gold | |
| Movement | Self-winding | |
| Color of Bracelet | White Gold | |
| Year | 2023 |
Condition report
| Box: | Yes |
| Papers: | Yes |
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
