Rising above the cacophony of new launches at a watch fair is a difficult task but, at Watches & Wonders in Geneva, a few models seem to hover above the rest. Vacheron Constantin’s new Overseas Moon Phase Retrograde Date is one of those pieces and is its first ever sport watch with a retrograde display.
The sparkling 41mm steel-cased watch is symbolic of the modernity and energy that has been injected into Vacheron Constantin in the last couple of years and continues the evolution of the Overseas brand pillar. The recognisable six-sided bezel of the watch remains, of course, but elsewhere a series of touches help the watch to dance between sporty and stylish. The retrograde date and precision moon-phase complications tell us Vacheron is adept at high watchmaking techniques but yet the watch seems casual and youthful – especially when the interchangeable bracelet or strap is clicked in and out so effortlessly. The sunburst satin-brushed centre of the iconic translucent blue-lacquered dial, meanwhile, twinkles in the light.
After months of aesthetic research, Vacheron was able to integrate the blue-tinted retrograde hand for the date across the upper part of the dial. Next, the maison’s watchmakers had to figure out how to display moon phases at 6 o’clock without losing the sportiness of the piece. The result is an aperture graduated from 0 to 29½ that displays the number of days elapsed since the last new moon. Fitted with a 135-tooth wheel, the moon-phase mechanism requires a one-day correction only every 122 years so there’s no need to worry about that for a while.
Christian Selmoni, style and heritage director at Vacheron Constantin, a brand that began in 1755, says the new Overseas Moon Phase Retrograde Date “marks an important milestone because it combines its technical qualities with those of the era and of style.” He adds, “It’s a watch that displays high watchmaking codes in a modern case adapted to everyday life.”
