Vacheron Constantin FiftySix

Vacheron Constantin, one of the so-called ‘Holy Trinity’ of Swiss watchmakers, took somewhat of a left turn in 2018 with the release of the FiftySix collection. Based upon the case profile of a reference from 1956, this collection was aimed at a younger demographic, and as such, was priced more affordably than the remainder of the watches in the contemporary Vacheron catalog. One of the References from this relatively new line is the relatively simple, clean time & date model that is fantastic in its design and finishing. And while it may be more accessible than its cousins from Patek Philippe, it’s certainly no less notable a timepiece! The particular example we have here is housed in a stainless steel case with a sapphire crystal, a signed crown, a polished bezel, and beautifully shaped lugs that are a signature of the maison’s dress watches. It features a satin silver dial with applied ‘Arabic’ indices, luminous baton indices, a date window at 3 o'clock, and a matching ‘pencil’ handset. Powering this stunner is the Vacheron Constantin Calibre 1326 automatic winding movement — beautifully decorated and adjusted to five positions, it’s a horological work of art that’s visible via the watch’s sapphire caseback. When paired with its signed navy blue alligator leather strap with a matching, Maltese Cross-stylized steel pin buckle, what we have is an offering suitable a surprisingly wide variety of occasions, from one of the great houses. Don’t let it slip through your fingers!