Last year, Vacheron Constantin leaned into its heritage as well as the burgeoning taste for dressier, vintage style watches in smaller case sizes with the release of the Historiques 222. However, the appetite for steel sports watches isn’t going anywhere, with the Geneva-based watch manufacturer unafraid to cater to that demand.
You’ll also enjoy:
The Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 Signals A Return To Elegance
Zenith Nails Elevated Irreverence With The Rose Gold Chronomaster Sport
Some Go Deeper; The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa Stays Longer
Born in 1996, the first Vacheron Constantin Overseas timepiece was designed by Vincent Kaufmann and Dino Modolo and draws from the foundation of the Vacheron Constantin 222 designed by Jorg Hysek in 1977. Recognisable by its six-sided Maltese Cross-shaped bezel and integrated bezel with geometric links, the 222 represented Vacheron Constantin’s entry into the luxury steel sports watch category dominated by the Audemar Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus, both designed by legendary watchmaker Gerald Genta.
The Vacheron Constantin Overseas forged its own path, with its aesthetic differentiating itself from the offerings of the other two members of the holy trinity. In 1999, the Swiss watch manufacturer added chronograph models to the Overseas collection. The Overseas as we know it today was a result of an update in 2016, which further leans into its chic yet wearable aesthetic.
Fusing haute horlogerie with sporty elegance, the new Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph features an always covetable ‘panda’ dial. Encased in steel, the silver-toned, satin-finished sunburst dial plays host to a trio of snailed black subdial counters and is encircled by a black velvet-finished rehaut. The ‘panda’ dial aesthetic dtes back to the motorsports-oriented timepieces of the 1960s, with Paul Newman’s Daytona perhaps the most popular embodiment of the style.
The steel case of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph ‘Panda’ sits at 42.5mm and features the signature Maltese Cross-shaped bezel design characteristic of the collection. The angular lugs seamlessly connect with the integrated bracelet, with a combination of polished and satin-brushed links creating visual interplay with the light. A quick-release system also lets you swap out the steel bracelet for a rubber or leather strap sans tools. On the side of the case is a screwed-down crowd signed with the Maltese Cross, with a pusher on either side of the crown used to operate the chronograph functions.
Visible through the sapphire glass caseback is the calibre 5200, an in-house self-winding column-wheel chronograph movement that features a 22K gold oscillating weight adorned with a compass rose. It’s equipped with a 52-hour power reserve, however, as the timepiece has anti-magnetic properties and boasts 150m water resistance you’ll hardly ever have to take it off. And when it looks like that, why would you want to?
The Overseas Chronograph ‘Panda’ is priced at $51,500AUD and available via the Vacheron Constantin webstore.
Words by John Deckard
