CLASSIC WITH A TWIST
Rather than reproducing a specific model, the method of taking a bird's-eye view of the entire archive and extracting the essence of Vacheron Constantin is actually one of the new attempts that has been fully implemented since the 2000s.
The two collections that emerged from this, the Patrimony and Traditionnelle collections, have grown into classic icons that reconstruct the principles of classic watches using modern methods.
First released in 2018. This is the first model to feature a peripheral rotor tourbillon with the Magic Click bidirectional winding system. Automatic (Cal. 2160). 30 jewels. 18,000 vph. Power reserve of approximately 80 hours. 18KPG (diameter 41.0mm, thickness 10.44mm). Water resistant to 3 bar. Current market price (reference price: ¥17,072,000).
Text by Hiroyuki Suzuki
[Article published in the July 2022 issue of Kronos Japan]
The origins of a design approach rooted in the classics
The most important requirement for a work to be considered classic is that it has a certain regularity. The Japanese word "classic" can simply refer to all things created in ancient times, but originally it meant forms and etiquette (i.e., ritual procedures) that should be the norm for a long time. It is self-evident that style is at the core of classicism, without even needing to cite examples such as classical music and painting.
The trend toward a return to classicism in the Swiss watch industry first peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but this was due to the historical discontinuity that many brands experienced. It is understandable that many emerging brands that have regained their fame by inheriting the names of prestigious old houses seek their identity in the designs and styles that were popular in the era before that discontinuity.
However, Vacheron Constantin, which has continued its history uninterrupted since its founding in Geneva in 1755, seems to have had no historical milestones to return to or a consistent style. Reading Franco Cologne's magnum opus, "Secrets of Vacheron Constantin," published by Flammarion in 2005 to mark the Maison's 250th anniversary, "Vacheron Constantin Artists of Time" published in 2015 (the Maison's 260th anniversary), or "Treasures of Vacheron Constantin" (published by Azan in 2011), one can easily appreciate the diversity of designs that have led the way through the ages and the company's cutting-edge spirit, but it is difficult to discern any consistent style or pattern. This is likely not solely due to the editorial policy of the three books. For a company that has always sought new styles without a single interruption since its founding, there has been no need to look back on the past.
Contemporary neoclassicism reconstructed from archive pieces
However, this situation changed dramatically in 2002. As part of the archives cleanup, the company began organizing, analyzing, and classifying a massive 40 square meters of documents that had been lying dormant in wooden boxes that had never been opened since the 1950s. This work was carried out by Bernard Vuillaumenet, who managed the archives, and Dominique Fréchon, a watch historian and co-author of the aforementioned "Mystique." The results were soon shared with the design department. The Patrimony Large Size (Ref. 81180), launched in 200, was a watershed model in Vacheron Constantin's history, the first to be born from the study and reinterpretation of the archives.
This two-hand model, released in 2004, is the origin of the current Patrimony model. The PG case shown in the photo was added the following year, in 2005. Manual winding (Cal. 1400). 20 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 40 hours. 18KPG (diameter 40.0mm, thickness 6.7mm). Water resistant to 3 bar. Price: 2,376,000 yen.
However, when the Patrimony Traditionnelle Automatic was added in 07, the Ref. 81180 was renamed the Patrimony Contemporain Large. It is interesting to note that the Ref. 81180 was renamed the Patrimony Contemporain with the introduction of the Patrimony Traditionnelle, which featured a more classic cylinder case, dauphine hands, and a railway track on the dial.
The Ref. 81180, with its round case, tapered at the sides to emphasize its thinness, and bombé-shaped dial, was understood as a "classical piece reconstructed from the archives" due to its aforementioned origins (though not when it was first published in 04, by the time "Mystic" was published in 07). However, Vacheron Constantin seems to have viewed it as a "traditional yet playful design." Taking a classic model without simply tracing it, but incorporating a playful touch into the style, is an unwritten rule of the brand's distinctive classic pieces that has been passed down to the present day. The two Patrimony watches, which were constructed with completely different design codes, were restructured in 14 to form the current "Patrimony" and "Traditionnelle" collections.
First released in 2007. The model pictured was added in 2016. This model combines the most basic Cal. 2460 series with a bi-retrograde day-date display. Automatic (Cal. 2460 R31 R7/2). 27 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 40 hours. 18KPG (diameter 42.5mm, thickness 9.7mm). Water resistant to 3 bar. Price: 5,324,000 yen.
(right)Patrimony manual-winding
The "Majestic Blue" shown in the photo is a color added in 2019. A PVD coating is used on a sunburst satin finish base to create a soft blue color. Manual winding (Cal. 1400). 20 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 40 hours. 18KPG (diameter 40.0mm, thickness 6.7mm). Water resistant to 3 bar. Price: 2,376,000 yen.
[See the entire Patrimony collection on the brand's official website]
https://www.vacheron-constantin.com/jp/ja/collections/patrimony
