Some groups within the watch world tend to be more competitive than the others. The “Luxury Sports-Watch” sector is really among the most difficult of. Narrow, precisely defined, and requiring the greatest standards of quality, luxury, and mechanics, it's driven with a couple of, quite strong icons… Entering it's complex. Breaking back to its ranks is hard, but this is exactly what Vacheron Constantin have achieved using the new Overseas collection, first introduced in 2016, now we consider the “standard” offer, the Overseas Automatic 4500V.
THE “LUXURY SPORTS-WATCH” CATEGORY
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| The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic 4500V |
Within the strictest definition, the “luxury sports-watch” category is very narrow. It comprises most likely under 10 people, many of them born within the 1970s, underneath the genius pen of the certain Gerald Genta. Exactly what is a “luxury sports-watch”? Obviously, there isn’t any official definition, here what we should, at Monochrome, would say: a “luxury sports-watch” is a stainless-steel watch with integrated bracelet, formed situation, thin profile, rich in-finish construction from the situation and bracelet, luxurious details, a haute-Horlogerie thin movement, all combined having the ability to be worn during leisure activities. To say, a wrist watch that mixes the very best of an outfit watch with the very best of a sports watch.
The majority of the current people from the “luxury sports-watch” category were born within the mid-1970s and many of them specified for with a single man: Genta. He is able to be credited with the development of an idea, unique in those days: a steel watch which was more costly than most classical 3-hands gold dress watches. To completely know very well what this “luxury sports-watch”, have a couple of examples: AP Royal Oak, PP Nautilus, IWC Ingenieur Jumbo SL, GP Laureato, not to mention, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas - or at best the ancestor of the collection, the Reference 222.
SHORT Good Reputation For THE VACHERON CONSTANTIN OVERSEAS
Launched in 1977, as reply to the offers produced by the two other people from the Holy Trinity (PP and AP), was the 222, that was brought to mark the brand’s 222nd anniversary. Even when some similarities could be spotted between the style of the Royal Oak, the Nautilus and also the 222, and contrary to public opinion, it's not created by Gerald Genta. The one who designed the 222 would be a youthful person called Jorg Hysek (who’s now even the namesake of some other brand.)
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| The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic 4500V |
Several options that come with the 222 were type of special: the form from the situation (an angular tonneau having a round bezel), the form from the bracelet’s links and the style of the notched bezel, or even the Malte Mix built-into the situation, just beneath the dial. The Vacheron Constantin 222 was operated by the ultra-thin calibre 1121 (that is essentially exactly the same movement the AP and PP competitors used all derive from the JLC calibre 920). The 222 was created in 3 variations, steel, gold/steel and all sorts of gold as well as in 2 situation sizes (38mm for that automatic and 34mm having a quarta movement movement). This now a very searched for after piece which was rapidly stopped (back in 1984) plus they only created 500 pieces. While not really area of the Overseas collection, the 222 is visible because the ancestor from the collection.
The Vacheron Constantin Overseas, like a proper collection, has been around since 1996. “It was made the decision to produce a sports/chic watch directly taking its design cues in the 222 launched almost twenty years before: a tonneau formed situation having a round serrated bezel, this time around by means of a damaged Maltese mix. The look team was made up of Dino Modolo, a completely independent designer responsible for many Vacheron Constantin designs of times and Vincent Kaufmann a youthful in-house designer, who today heads the VC design team. First to become launched was time only model housing cal 1310 according to GP calibre 3100 inside a 37mm situation.” It had been then adopted in 1999 through the chronograph, housing the Piguet-based automatic calibre 1137, which took it's origin from the Piguet calibre 1185 which was modified to include a large date mechanism.
The most recent execution from the Vacheron Constantin Overseas was travelling to 2004, having a more masculine and sporty design. The primary evolution concerns the bracelet, which integrated the brand’s symbolic Maltese mix with brushed and polished angles. The initial Overseas designs include also muscled up too: a period-only along with a chronograph, in 42mm cases. Later a Dual There was a time added in addition to one having a Perpetual Calendar. These models weren't any longer certified as chronometers but included antimagnetic protection. Finally, Vacheron Constantin switched towards the calibre 1126 for that time-only model.
THE VACHERON CONSTANTIN OVERSEAS AUTOMATIC 4500V
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| The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic 4500V |
In 2016, Vacheron Constantin introduced a completely new, fully redesigned collection for that representational Overseas. A brand new shape, while not entirely unfamiliar, featured new styling, new standards of luxury, new movements and new complications… Overall, a really profound update. The gathering was initially launched around four models: the current Overseas Automatic 4500V, the Ultra-Thin 2000V, the Chronograph 5500V and also the Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin - became a member of later with a world-time version. If all of the editions are desirable and filled with interest (special mention for that ultra-thin automatic, however only accessible in white-colored gold, and priced around 60,000 Euro), the premise from the collection continues to be the entry-level offer, the current Overseas Automatic 4500V.
Once we already described, the style of the brand new Overseas is a mix of some aspects of past models, by having an overall new shape. While all of the previous versions, in the 222 towards the 1990s versions or even the just stopped ones, were with different sharp barrel situation, the brand new edition has more curves - the situation continues to be a tonneau-formed one, even though the sides tend to be more rounded. This changes the thought of the timepiece, a little more elegant and perhaps a little less masculine overall. Yet, the classic touches remain, like the serrated bezel formed just like a damaged Maltese mix - again, it's a slight design evolution, because the recessed parts appear inverted when compared to previous version, and also the whole bezel is correctly round.
When it comes to proportions and style, we’re fully within the “luxury sports-watch” territory. A quite large diameter, at 41mm (even if it's 1mm under the prior edition), a mix of brushed surfaces with polished accents and bevels, relatively thin profile, at 11mm (a couple of millimeters less could have been welcome though), a built-in bracelet (with something very cool… more later) and overall an excellent construction and finishing. Indeed, one factor that immediately one thinks of when having fun with this Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic 4500V may be the overall sense of quality and a focus to details. Regardless of the position, wherever you appear, the execution is just stunning. Perfect adjustments, sharp transitions between your different surfaces, high-gloss polishing, beautiful brushing… It seems like you aren't within the sports watch category any longer, but perfectly into high-finish watchmaking.
A unique mention ought to be designed for the steel bracelet. A detailed look reveals an amazing quantity of details: polished and satin-brushed finished links, a elegant chamfer around the edges, and polished interior angles around the center from the links… This really is something which is generally available on movements, not bracelets. Overall, the legendary style of the bracelet, mimicking a Maltese mix continues to be present, and provides the Overseas Automatic 4500V a really distinctive look - masculine, yet elegant and delicate.
Vacheron Constantin also had the clever idea to produce an interchangeable bracelet. We have all faced that: going for a watch with steel bracelet, fighting for 30 minutes with low-quality tools to get rid of it, which operation mainly led to scratching the rear side from the lugs… Yet, altering strapsOranklet bracelets has turned into a recurrent game. What VC has been doing using the Overseas Automatic 4500V (as well as on all of those other collection) is to produce a quick-release device, in which you simply push a control button between your lugs to produce the bracelet. And yet another good point would be that the box comprises two extra straps - rubber and leather - in addition to a dedicated folding clasp (you can use on straps). An imaginative method to help make your watch versatile, and also to safeguard its superbly finished situation.
For that dial, Vacheron Constantin made the decision to visit visually feasible for this latest Overseas collection. A good thing thinking about the situation has a relatively good complex shapes. When compared to older model, there exists a more refined and clean design. The not-so-appropriate Arabic numerals are actually gone and therefore are substituted with 18k white-colored gold applied baton indexes. It’s exactly the same recipe for that hands: slimmer, longer and much more classy. Finally, the dial from the Overseas Automatic 4500V offers great legibility, because of two independent tracks: one for that minutes around the periphery from the dial, and something for that seconds around the inner flange.
Also, the date dates back to some natural position, at 3. Many will argue concerning the presence or otherwise of these a window on the watch, but knowing this edition is supposed to be considered a daily-beater, the date is sensible. In addition, around the silver edition we reviewed here, the date appears almost invisible. The dial, even when apparently simple, is really superbly made: a plate having a sun-ray pattern within the center, on the top being applied a translucent lacquer, which leaves visible the top finishings underneath. This brings a fascinating depth towards the dial. The Overseas Automatic 4500V will come in 3 steel edition: silver dial (seen here), blue dial and brown dial (observe that a pink gold version with silver dial along with a two-tone silver/gold version with silver dial can also be found).
Turn the keep an eye on and you’ll uncover quite an electric train engine - not when it comes to look, because this movement is very shy and hides lots of its technical components, but when it comes to specifications. This automatic calibre 5100, developed and made by Vacheron Constantin and adorned using the hallmark of Geneva, consists of 172 parts. It beats in the rate of 28,800 vibrations each hour and it is endowed having a comfortable 60-hour power reserve, guaranteed by its twin barrels (making certain the constancy from the torque sent to the controlling organ).
The transparent screwed-lower caseback reveals the valuable 22K gold oscillating weight adorned having a compass rose itself decorated in a variety of ways: with frosted surfaces, brushed parts and polished parts. The decoration from the movement is very enjoyable (hallmark of Geneva obliges) and shows no flows - nice chamfers, bevelled wheel, polished screws… One for reds note: the decoration is very cold along with a bit clinical, even when completed with condition-of-the-art techniques. A little more extravagance or even more opened up bridges might have added more pleasure.