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Kit O. Payumo

Enveloped Idea

Vacheron Constantin offers a complete calendar completely in platinum

Vacheron Constantin created the Collection Excellence Platine in 2006, and just in time for the 2018 edition of the SIHH, Vacheron Constantin has come out with the Tradionnelle Complete Calendar Collection Excellence Platine, the Manufacture’s latest from a collection that has been indulging high-end watch collectors with platinum-based dress watches ever since. 

From the simplest to the most complicated, the Collection Excellence Platine makes the use of platinum its raison d’être, just check out the not-too-obvious “Pt950” label tucked away at the 4:30 position of their latest to amply indicate that this is NOT a steel or white gold watch.

Pt950 stands ‘Platinum 950’, which is the industry standard, but Vacheron Constantin goes the extra mile here by having, not only the moon face, the sandblasted dial and the 41mm case made of 95% platinum, but also the folding clasp, and the topstitching on the dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather strap, which is a combination of platinum and silk thread sewn into the leather strap.

Also known as a Triple calendar, this true mouthful of a watch offers the main functionality of a perpetual calendar, without the eye-watering price point.  Meaning, it conveys the thee main pieces of information needed to read an entire date: the day of the week and month from two windows at the upper half of the dial, and the date, which is displayed on the periphery of the dial and indicated by a central hand.

Indeed, this new Traditionnelle complete calendar features all the attributes that its proud heritage demands.  This includes an “Etagé” case and lugs, a fluted case-back, a railway-type minute track, Dauphine-type hours and minutes hands, and “bâtons de Genève” hour-markers.  In fact, all the aesthetic codes of the Traditionnelle collection are present and accounted for, complemented by the aura of exclusivity brought by the Excellence Platine signature. 

The dial is punctuated by 18K white gold bi-facetted hands and hour-markers, which is a perfect match for the blue Arabic numerals gracing the date and other calendar indications. And considering the enveloping nature of the complete calendar display, the dial is surprisingly clean, completely symmetrical, completely organized, and, completely functional. 

Of note is the moon phase indicator, which displays the age of the moon in 5-day intervals, a rather unusual features that indicates just home many days the moon has progressed through it 29.53-day cycle.  In fact, so precise is the moon-phase indication that it requires just one adjustment every 122 years, compared to the three years for a simple moon phase.

This is made possible by the beautifully finished Calibre 2460 QCL, a mechanical self-winding movement entirely developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin.  Equipped with a 22K gold oscillating weight, the 308-piece Calibre 2460 QCL beats at a very modern 28,800vph or 4Hz, and ensures a 40-hour power reserve while driving the central hours, minutes and seconds, complete calendar (day, date and month), precision moon phase and age of the moon.  And did we mention the Tradionnelle Complete Calendar Collection Excellence Platine is water resistant to 30 meters?  Not that you’d be taking a watch like this swimming in the ocean but it’s good to know that you can.

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