10 Oct, 2017
Vacheron Constantin presents two new Historiques models featuring a complete calendar.
The new Historiques Triple calendrier 1942 and the Triple calendrier 1948 are reviving a typical Vacheron Constantin complication and style from this era.
The two Triple Calendar models evoke their 1940s predecessors with their use of aesthetic elements typical of that era, such as the “triple gadroon” casebands on the round cases, “claw-type” lugs, and two-tone dials. Both are driven by manual-winding, in-house-made movements and feature extremely thin bezels framing their box-type sapphire crystals over the dial. The Historiques Triple Calendrier 1942, in a 40-mm-diameter stainless steel case, takes its inspiration from a watch Vacheron produced in 1942, known as Reference 4240. Echoing the dial layout of its ancestor, the watch has a hand-type date indicator with a peripheral date track, apertures for the month and day, and a small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. The baton hour and minute hands, as well as the subdial’s seconds hand, are blued, while the calendar indications are printed in either burgundy or dark blue depending on the version. The two-tone silvered dial has a sunburst satin-finished center with an outer zone punctuated by black painted Arabic numerals. Behind the transparent sapphire caseback is the manual-wound Caliber 4400 QC, made up of 225 components, including 21 jewels, and holding a power reserve of 65 hours.
Vacheron Constantin Ref. 4240L, released in 1948, is the inspiration for the new Historiques Triple Calendrier 1948. The “L” in the vintage watch’s name refers to the sophisticated, high-precision lunar cycle displayed in that timepiece’s moon-phase display. Its modern descendant incorporates a moon-phase display with the small seconds in a subdial at 6 o’clock. Housed in a 4N rose gold case, its dial has a silvered opaline center and a sunburst satin-finished outer zone. Inside, and on display through the sapphire caseback, is Vacheron’s manufacture Caliber 4400 QCL, a thin, manual-wound movement with a 28,800-vph frequency and a 65-hour power reserve.
