Vacheron Constantin

The Finest Swiss Watchmaking

Flawless and precise – those two words best describe watches from Vacheron Constantin. The wrist and pocket watches from this Swiss manufacturer are some of the most high-quality timepieces the world has to offer. This is why Vacheron is one of the "Big Three" Swiss watch brands, alongside Patek Philippe und Audemars Piguet.

The reference 57260 pocket watch is one of the most famous pieces to come from Vacheron Constantin. This custom-made watchmaking masterpiece houses 57 complications, making it the world's most complex wearable watch. Its complications include a split-seconds chronograph, a minute repeater, an alarm, and a moon phase display. It also features several calendars, such as a lunar calendar and a perpetual Hebrew calendar. Price estimates for this extraordinary pocket watch range from anywhere from 5 million to over 10 million USD. Vacheron Constantin presented this multi-functional timepiece in 2015, after eight years of development.

The Patrimony contains some of Vacheron Constantin's most successful and sought-after timepieces. It is composed of classic dress watches, including flat two or three-hand wristwatches, diamond-studded women's watches, and complicated pieces with perpetual calendars. The collection's top models are extra-flat platinum watches with minute repeaters.

The sports watches of the Overseas series are also popular and have designs reminiscent of icons like the Patek Philippe Nautilus and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. The Overseas collection features tasteful stainless steel and gold watches. These timepieces are no less functional than those in the Patrimony collection: The Overseas is available with a perpetual calendar, tourbillon, chronograph, or world time function.

Reasons to Buy a Vacheron Constantin Watch

• One of the most renowned Swiss watch manufacturers
• Top models with a tourbillon, minute repeater, and perpetual calendar
• Exceptional quality: Many models with the Geneva Seal
• Popular models: Patrimony and Overseas

Prices at a Glance: Vacheron Constantin Watches

How much does a Vacheron Constantin watch cost?

Prices for Vacheron Constantin watches begin around 13,000 USD on Chrono24. For this price, you can purchase the three-hand edition of the Fiftysix in stainless steel. Similar watches in rose or white gold, such as the Patrimony Contemporary, demand roughly 26,000 USD. Models like the Overseas Chronograph occupy a similar price point.

Watches with grand complications, such as a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, or tourbillon, require much larger investments. For example, a rose gold Patrimony Perpetual Calendar will set you back about 83,000 USD. Then there's the Overseas Tourbillon, which changes hands for around 120,000 USD. Finally, be prepared to spend approximately 369,000 USD on the platinum Patrimony Minute Repeater Ultra-Thin with the caliber 1731.

At the very top end of the price range, you will find especially complicated timepieces like the Traditionnelle Grandes Complications with the caliber 2755, which sells for around 675,000 USD. That price is downright affordable compared to the manufacturer's one-of-a-kind, custom-built watches. These models often cost between 2.25 and 3.75 million USD.

Patrimony: Simple, Flat, Elegant

The Patrimony collection embodies simple elegance. Classic Vacheron Constantin watches from the 1950s inspired the Patrimony's round case and reserved dial design. Narrow baton hands and fine bar and wedge indices define these timepieces. Another hallmark of this collection is its particularly flat construction. Even the models with perpetual calendars or minute repeaters are under 9 mm thick.

At 6.79 mm thick, the two-hand Patrimony with the manual caliber is especially minimalistic and the collection's flattest model. You can purchase a white or rose gold edition for about 18,000 USD. The platinum version demands an additional 5,300 USD.

The automatic caliber 2450 Q6 ticks away inside the Patrimony with three hands. This movement also provides the watch with a date display at 6 o'clock. With a little luck, you can get your hands on a white gold version on Chrono24 for as little as 18,000 USD. If you prefer rose or yellow gold, that price climbs to roughly 28,000 USD.

One of the most popular complications available in the Patrimony collection is the retrograde pointer date. Here, the 31-day scale arches across the top half of the dial from 9 to 3 o'clock. Once the pointer reaches the end of its cycle, it jumps back to the starting position. Vacheron Constantin offers two versions of this complication: one combined with a retrograde day display at 6 o'clock and another combined with a moon phase at the same position. The Patrimony with a retrograde date display and moon phase requires an investment of around 42,500 USD. The version with day and date displays is slightly more affordable, with prices of between 32,500 and 34,500 USD.

The highlights of the Patrimony series are the watches with a perpetual calendar or minute repeater. Be sure to have about 64,000 USD on hand if you want to call the rose gold model with a perpetual calendar your own. A never-worn piece in rose gold with a minute repeater demands almost 310,000 USD. The platinum variants cost even more than their gold sister models, selling for about 120,000 and 356,000 USD, respectively.

Overseas: Modern and Sporty

You will find Vacheron Constantin's luxury sports watches in the Overseas collection. Their designs draw upon the aesthetics of the Patek Philippe Nautilus and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Like these two icons, the Overseas' hexagonal bezel takes its inspiration from the Maltese cross and resembles a porthole. Moreover, this model comes with an integrated band in stainless steel, gold, rubber, or alligator leather. The metal bracelets stand out with their unique link shape. Here, the designers again turned to the Maltese cross (and Vacheron Constantin's logo) for inspiration.

Older three-hand Overseas models in stainless steel, such as the ref. 47040, are this collection's most affordable options. You can recognize these timepieces by the position of their date displays at 4:30. One of these watches will set you back roughly 13,000 USD. More recent editions bear the reference number 4500V/110A and feature a date display at 3 o'clock. These watches cost between 28,000 and 40,500 USD depending on whether you choose a white, blue, or black dial.

The three-hand Overseas is also available with a rose gold case for about 41,500 USD. You can find this model on a leather strap under the reference number 4500V/000R. As of 2020, Vacheron Constantin also produces a version on a gold bracelet (ref. 4500/110R). This watch changes hands for around 69,000 USD.

With its stopwatch function, the Overseas Chronograph offers an especially popular complication. This timepiece is available in stainless steel or rose gold. Until recently, Vacheron Constantin also offered a two-tone edition in stainless steel and gold. While current models have had their date displays between 4 and 5 o'clock since 2016, these older watches have an oversized date at 12 o'clock. For the dial, you can choose from blue, white, black, or brown, each with a sunburst finish. Plan to spend a solid 33,000 USD on a new steel model. Prices for mint-condition pieces in rose gold on a brown alligator leather strap sit around 51,000 USD.

The Overseas World Time is perfect for frequent travelers and businesspeople who are often on the road and need to keep an eye on multiple time zones at once. The World Time features a map of the Northern Hemisphere and can account for 37 time zones simultaneously, each represented by a city name. This stainless steel watch will set you back about 40,000 USD.

If two time zones are enough for you, the Overseas Dual Time might be just what you're looking for. This watch boasts a GMT display, a day/night indicator, and a pointer date located at 6 o'clock. You can purchase the stainless steel variant for around 28,500 USD, while the rose gold version demands roughly 44,000 USD.

The Overseas Perpetual Calendar and Overseas Tourbillon are the highlights of the Overseas collection. Vacheron Constantin produces the Perpetual Calendar in rose and white gold. They also introduced models with intricately skeletonized dials in 2021. Be sure to have between 95,000 and 115,000 USD on hand for an Overseas Perpetual Calendar in rose gold. Those with white gold cases or skeletonization rarely appear for sale on the secondary market. Their official list prices are 97,000 USD for a watch with a closed dial and 130,000 USD for the same timepiece with a skeletonized dial.

The Overseas Tourbillon debuted in 2019. This model is available in rose gold or stainless steel and uses the remarkably flat caliber 2160, which measures in at just 5.65 mm thick. As its name implies, the watch features a tourbillon, which you can view through a cutout in the dial at 6 o'clock. Prices for this sporty and elegant timekeeper fall around 119,000 USD.

Historiques: Classics Reimagined

The luxury watches of the Historiques collection pay homage to Vacheron Constantin's historical watch models. That being the case, the designs of current Historiques watches are very traditional. The cushion-shaped Historiques American 1921 really stands out thanks to its dial, which is turned 45 degrees to the right. What's more, its crown appears on the upper right corner of the case. Its small seconds sits in the lower right third of the dial and, unlike the main time display, has not been rotated, resulting in a particularly unique timepiece. Vacheron Constantin offers the American 1921 as a 40-mm men's edition and a 36.5-mm women's watch. In terms of case material, you can choose from rose gold, white gold, or platinum. If you decide on a rose gold watch, plan on spending around 32,000 USD. The white gold versions generally cost a few thousand dollars more. Finally, the platinum edition demands about 44,000 USD.

The traditional Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955 chronographs are yet another high point in this series. The scales and numbers on their dials make these watches feel functional while remaining classically elegant, and the two subdials at 3 and 9 o'clock lend them a very straightforward look. Perhaps this model's most defining feature is the lugs shaped like a bull's horns. The stainless steel variants are the most affordable at roughly 44,000 USD. A rose gold watch will set you back about 58,000 USD, while a platinum chronograph costs around 73,500 USD.

The Historiques Triple Calendrier 1942 is also worth taking a look at. These watches display the day and month in addition to the date. The 40-mm stainless steel version sells for about 19,500 USD on Chrono24. You can save a few thousand dollars by purchasing the previous edition (ref. 37150) instead. This watch is slightly smaller at 36 mm, comes in 18-karat yellow gold, and boasts an additional moon phase display. All of this can be yours for around 14,000 USD.

Traditionnelle: High-End Watchmaking

The Traditionnelle collection honors Genevan "haute horlogerie". This explains their classic designs, elegant construction, and why some are even elaborately skeletonized. The Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar is particularly stunning. Vacheron Constantin outfits this platinum watch with the caliber 3610QP. This movement boasts a perpetual calendar and enables the wearer to choose between two balance frequencies. When wearing the watch, choosing a frequency of 5 Hz will ensure high precision. However, when off the wrist, you can reduce the frequency to 1.2 Hz and, thus, reach a standby power reserve of up to 65 days. The manufacturer lists this extraordinary timepiece for 199,000 USD.

The Traditionnelle Grandes Complications with the caliber 2755 is even more complex. It features a tourbillon, minute repeater, perpetual calendar, and power reserve indicator (which you'll find on the back of the timepiece). Be sure to have at least 795,000 USD on hand for this 44-mm gold watch. The platinum edition is actually less expensive and demands roughly 675,000 USD.

The Traditionnelle collection also contains simple timepieces. Models like the Traditionnelle Self-Winding Ultra-Thin are stylishly minimalistic, featuring a two-hand time display and nothing else. You can purchase this stunning dress watch in rose gold for about 34,000 USD. The platinum version of this two-hand watch sells for around 54,500 USD. Prices for watches with a small seconds at 6 o'clock begin around 21,000 USD. The collection's most affordable models are quartz-powered women's watches with diamond-studded bezels. You can call one of these timepieces you own for some 16,500 USD.

Fiftysix: Revisiting the 1950s

The Fiftysix joined the Vacheron Constantin family in 2018. These watches pay tribute to a model from 1956 by taking its design and embellishing it with modern elements. Today, this collection is home to simple three-hand watches, models with day and date displays, and others with a complete calendar or tourbillon.

The Fiftysix Complete Calendar in stainless steel costs about 23,500 USD, and the rose gold version goes for around 39,000 USD. Three-hand models with a date display at 3 o'clock are markedly less expensive: You can purchase the stainless steel version for 11,900 USD and the rose gold edition for 20,000 USD. The Fiftysix Day-Date costs roughly 16,500 USD in stainless steel and 32,500 USD in rose gold. Finally, the rose gold Fiftysix Tourbillon sells for a list price of 130,000 USD.

The Genevan Seal: A Mark of Extraordinary Quality

The Genevan Seal attests to a watch's quality and origin. It proves that a watch was assembled and inspected in the Canton of Geneva. The law it is based on has existed since 1886, making the Genevan Seal one of watchmaking's oldest seals of its kind. The certification criteria are updated regularly and apply to the whole watch: its water resistance, functions, accuracy, and power reserve. The TIMELAB foundation – the Genevan Laboratory of Horology and Microengineering – has been responsible for awarding the Genevan Seal since 2010.

Most Vacheron Constantin watches come with a Genevan Seal. The manufacturer has been having their watches certified since 1901, meaning Vacheron Constantin can look back on over 100 years of experience creating certifiably excellent watches. What's more, their watchmakers' training and the construction of their watches all follow the strict criteria of the Genevan Seal.

A History Full of Highlights

Jean-Marc Vacheron founded his watch workshop in 1755. His grandson, Jacques-Barthélémi, brought François Constantin on board in 1819. Together, they laid the groundwork for Vacheron Constantin's continued international success. Today, the company belongs to the Richemont group.

Georges-Auguste Leschot, a Genevan watchmaker, became Vacheron Constantin's technical director in 1839. He was the first to introduce the mass production of watch components. This new process improved the quality and accuracy of pocket watches.

The manufacturer began offering wristwatches in 1889, nine years after officially registering its Maltese cross logo with the Swiss federal trademarks office in Bern. This logo remains the symbol of the manufacturer to this day.

Vacheron Constantin has been creating custom-made timepieces for generations. These unique pieces embody the manufacturer's philosophy to always strive for perfection, and their desire to craft the most exquisite luxury watches.