Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Openface

Vacheron Constantin, a watchmaking house with roots stretching back uninterrupted to 1755, occupies a distinct position in the horological landscape. Its longevity is not merely a historical footnote but a testament to a continuous dedication to crafting exceptional timepieces. To commemorate its upcoming 270th anniversary, the Geneva-based manufacturer has unveiled a trio of limited-edition watches within its esteemed Traditionnelle collection, each showcasing technical signatures that have punctuated the Maison's history: the openworked dial and the retrograde display.

The narrative of Vacheron Constantin is deeply interwoven with the evolution of watchmaking itself. From its inception in the heart of Geneva during the Age of Enlightenment, the Maison has navigated centuries of change, consistently producing watches that combine mechanical ingenuity with refined aesthetics. This enduring presence is built upon a foundation of preserving traditional crafts while simultaneously embracing innovation, a duality evident in these new anniversary releases. They represent not just a milestone but a continuation of a nearly three-century-long pursuit of horological excellence.



The concept of revealing the inner workings of a watch through its dial, known as openworking, has a specific lineage at Vacheron Constantin. While not as common as in some other houses, its appearances have been significant. The journey began notably in 1918 with a pocket watch featuring an astronomical calendar, a bold design choice for its era. Decades later, in 2002, the Reference 47247 reintroduced this aesthetic, specifically highlighting the intricate mechanics of a retrograde date. More recent examples, like the 2019 Traditionnelle Twin Beat perpetual calendar and the subsequent Openface Complete Calendar (2021) and Tourbillon (2023), further developed this approach, blending modern style with the visibility of complex mechanics.

Distinct from traditional skeletonization, which prioritizes removing material to create an airy, lace-like effect, Vacheron Constantin's "openface" philosophy, as employed here, focuses on showcasing the movement's architecture and complexity while retaining a substantial dial structure. According to Christian Selmoni, the Maison's Style & Heritage Director, this method aims to "magnify the architectural strength of our movements and reveal their inner beauty" without obscuring the underlying design. It's a calculated reveal, offering glimpses into the mechanical heart while maintaining functional clarity.

Alongside openworking, the retrograde display stands as another pillar of Vacheron Constantin's technical repertoire celebrated in these anniversary editions. This complication, where a hand jumps back to its starting point after reaching the end of its scale rather than completing a full circle, adds a dynamic visual element. The Maison's history with this feature includes the legendary 'Don Pancho' (Reference 3620) from 1940, a wristwatch whose complex retrograde date mechanism was a marvel. Though lost for decades, its reappearance underscored Vacheron Constantin's early mastery. The 1994 Mercator, with its double retrograde hours and minutes, and the 245th-anniversary Reference 47245 with its highly legible retrograde date, further cemented this expertise.

These new Openface models are firmly rooted in the Traditionnelle collection, inheriting its established design language. This includes the characteristic stepped round case and lugs, a subtly fluted pattern on the caseback's edge, and a relatively slim bezel that maximizes the dial aperture. The dial elements adhere to tradition with a precise railway-style minutes track encircling the periphery, applied baton hour markers crafted from gold, and faceted Dauphine-style hands for indicating the hours and minutes – features that provide a classical counterpoint to the modern openworked execution.



The choice to highlight openworking and retrograde displays for the 270th anniversary is deliberate. These elements represent Vacheron Constantin's historical prowess in both aesthetic innovation and complex mechanical solutions. Marrying these signatures within the Traditionnelle framework creates a bridge between the Maison's rich past and its contemporary vision. Encased in 950 platinum, a noble metal reserved for exclusive creations, and limited to just 370 pieces per model, these watches underscore the significance of the occasion.

Visually, the three watches present a cohesive yet distinct identity. The cool lustre of the 950 platinum cases provides a frame for the intricate dials. Beneath the sapphire crystals, the openworked sections reveal layers of bridges and wheels, finished meticulously. A striking contrast is achieved through the use of blued steel or blued gold hands for specific indications (like the retrograde date or peripheral date pointer), which stand out against the metallic and guilloché surfaces. The Deep Blue of the alligator straps complements these blue accents, creating a sophisticated, unified look across the trio. The signature railway minute track and applied gold hour markers provide familiar reference points amidst the mechanical complexity.

A key element of the anniversary editions is the unique hand-guilloché pattern adorning the remaining solid portions of the 18K gold dials. Developed specifically for this milestone, the pattern takes inspiration from the brand's Maltese cross emblem, used since 1880. This is not a standard geometric pattern like barleycorn or clous de Paris; instead, it's a figurative motif realized through traditional engine-turning techniques on machines over a century old. The Maison's master guillocheur painstakingly engraves the pattern with tenth-of-a-millimeter precision, creating a surface that interacts dynamically with light, producing subtle shifts in appearance as the wrist moves.

The technical challenges extend beyond the guillochage itself. Integrating the sapphire crystal elements, particularly for displaying calendar indications on some models, required exceptional skill. The sapphire isn't merely placed atop the gold dial; it's precisely fitted into apertures cut from the solid gold base. This complex integration, demanding extremely careful machining and fitting, allows calendar discs or underlying plates to be viewed clearly while maintaining the structural integrity and aesthetic flow of the openworked design.

Turning the watches over reveals another layer of dedicated craftsmanship through the transparent sapphire casebacks. The movement bridges feature a 'côte unique' finishing. This decoration, characterized by broad, continuous Geneva stripes that flow across multiple bridges, was employed by Vacheron Constantin over a hundred years ago but had fallen out of regular use. It was rediscovered and meticulously reproduced during the creation of the Historiques American 1921 model in 2021. Achieving this seemingly simple finish requires a demanding combination of precise machining and expert manual intervention to ensure the lines are perfectly aligned and harmonious across the entire movement surface. Vacheron Constantin notes that over 500 hours were invested simply in regaining the mastery of this rare technique, highlighting a commitment to preserving and revitalizing heritage skills.



Beyond the 'côte unique', the general standard of finishing applied to the calibres is exceptional, adhering to the stringent requirements of the Hallmark of Geneva certification that each watch bears. Every component, visible or hidden, undergoes meticulous hand-finishing processes, including chamfering (angling the edges), polishing, circular graining, and rounding off. These techniques not only enhance the visual appeal by playing with light but also speak to the watchmakers' dedication to perfecting every detail of the movement's structure and function.

The first of the trio, the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date Openface (Ref. 4030T/000P-H054), introduces a new manufacture movement, Calibre 2460 QPR31/270. This self-winding movement adeptly combines two significant complications. Firstly, a perpetual calendar automatically accounts for varying month lengths and leap years, displaying the day, month, and leap year cycle accurately until the year 2100 without needing manual correction. This is paired with a precision moon phase display at 6 o'clock, featuring a realistically depicted lunar surface, which requires adjustment only once every 122 years. Secondly, the upper portion of the dial is dedicated to a retrograde date display, where a hand sweeps across an arc from 1 to 31 before snapping back to 1 at the start of a new month. The openworked dial architecture cleverly reveals parts of these mechanisms. Legibility is maintained by using sapphire discs for the day, month, and leap year indications, set against a contrasting deep blue background visible through apertures. The entire sophisticated calibre measures a relatively slim 5.45 mm in thickness. It operates at 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and offers an approximate 40-hour power reserve, comprising 312 components and 27 jewels. The 950 platinum case measures 41mm in diameter and 10.94mm thick.

The second model, the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface (Ref. 6010T/000P-H055), is powered by the self-winding Calibre 2162 R31/270. This movement places a prominent tourbillon regulator at the 6 o'clock position, its rotating cage making a full revolution every minute and incorporating the small seconds indication. The upper dial segment features the retrograde date complication, similar to the perpetual calendar model, with its intricate mechanics partially visible through the openworking. A notable feature of this calibre is its peripheral oscillating weight made of gold, which circles the movement's edge rather than sitting atop it, contributing to the movement's reduced thickness of 6.35 mm. This calibre provides a substantial power reserve of approximately 72 hours, operates at a more traditional frequency of 2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour), and consists of 242 components with 30 jewels. The 950 platinum case is also 41mm in diameter, with a thickness of 11.07mm.

The third interpretation is the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface (Ref. 4020T/000P-H038). It houses the manufacture Calibre 2460 QCL/270, a contemporary evolution of Vacheron Constantin's first self-winding complete calendar movement developed entirely in-house (Calibre 2450). This movement displays the day of the week and the month through apertures, the date via a central hand pointing to a peripheral scale, and incorporates a precision moon phase display requiring correction only once every 122 years. The openface design again allows viewing of parts of the 312-component self-winding mechanism. For clarity, the date is indicated by a blued hand tracking the scale around the dial's edge, while the day and month appear on sapphire discs against blue backgrounds within their respective windows. This movement shares the 4 Hz frequency (28,800 vph) and approximate 40-hour power reserve of the perpetual calendar model, containing 312 components and 27 jewels. The 950 platinum case measures 41mm across and 11.05mm thick.



Each of these limited-edition timepieces is paired with a dark blue strap crafted from Mississippiensis alligator leather. The straps feature large square scales, hand-stitching with tone-on-tone saddle seams for a refined finish, and an alligator leather lining for comfort. They are secured by a 950 platinum folding buckle, designed in the shape of a half Maltese cross, polished to a high shine, ensuring both security and a final touch consistent with the watch's premium materials and branding.

Christian Selmoni emphasizes that the openface design chosen for these anniversary models is a specific stylistic exercise. It diverges from pure skeletonization by intentionally preserving significant dial structure, providing a canvas for the guilloché work while offering framed views of the mechanics beneath. This approach, he suggests, reveals the movement's complexity and inherent beauty without sacrificing the overall architectural integrity of the watch face, a path Vacheron Constantin has explored selectively but impactfully since 1918.

Regarding the distinctive 270th-anniversary guilloché pattern, Selmoni highlights its complexity. Moving beyond common geometric motifs, its figurative design based on the Maltese cross demands immense skill from the master artisan. The precision required for the engraving, performed on antique machinery, combined with the technical feat of integrating sapphire crystal directly into the milled gold dial, showcases a level of expertise that blends traditional craft with modern execution challenges.

Ultimately, these three Traditionnelle Openface watches serve as tangible representations of Vacheron Constantin's core tenets, as viewed by Selmoni. They embody the continuous pursuit of mechanical sophistication and aesthetic refinement that has characterized the Maison since 1755. Furthermore, they reflect the vital importance placed on transmitting and evolving traditional watchmaking savoir-faire, resulting in creations that skillfully blend historical inspiration with contemporary design and technical mastery.



The combination of 950 platinum cases, intricate openworked dials featuring anniversary-specific hand-guilloché, historically significant complications like the retrograde display and perpetual or complete calendars, and meticulously finished manufacture movements (including the rediscovered 'côte unique') results in a trio of watches that clearly articulate Vacheron Constantin's position in high watchmaking. They are complex, visually engaging, and deeply rooted in the Maison's long heritage.

As limited editions celebrating a significant milestone, each of the three Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Openface models is restricted to 370 individually numbered pieces. Availability is through Vacheron Constantin boutiques and authorized dealers. The Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface (Ref. 4020T/000P-H038) is priced at $69,500 USD, while the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date Openface (Ref. 4030T/000P-H054) is set at $107,000 USD. Pricing for the most complex model, the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface (Ref. 6010T/000P-H055), is available upon request from the manufacturer or its authorized points of sale.

Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date Openface

Case: 950 platinum, 41 mm diameter, 10.94 mm thick. Transparent sapphire crystal caseback. Water-resistance tested at 3 bar (approx. 30 metres). Stepped lugs, fluted caseback edge, slender bezel.

Movement: Calibre 2460 QPR31/270 (new manufacture movement), self-winding. Hallmark of Geneva certified. 29 mm diameter, 5.45 mm thick. Approx. 40-hour power reserve, 4 Hz (28,800 vph). 312 components, 27 jewels. ‘Côte unique’ finish, 270th anniversary emblem engraving. Indications: Hours, minutes, perpetual calendar (day, month, leap year via sapphire discs), precision moon phase, retrograde date (blued gold hand).

Dial: Openface, two parts: Openworked 18K gold dial section, hand-guilloché with 270th anniversary Maltese cross motif. Movement plate with vertical straightening visible. 18K gold applied hour-markers, Dauphine-type hours/minutes hands. Railway minute track.

Strap: Dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather, large square scales, alligator leather lining, hand-stitched. 950 platinum folding buckle, polished half Maltese cross-shaped.

Price: $107,000 USD

Reference Number: 4030T/000P-H054

Notes: Limited edition of 370. Celebrates 270th anniversary. Combines perpetual calendar, retrograde date, and precision moon phase on an openworked dial with unique guilloché.



Traditionnelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface

Case: 950 platinum, 41 mm diameter, 11.07 mm thick. Transparent sapphire crystal caseback. Water-resistance tested at 3 bar (approx. 30 metres). Stepped lugs, fluted caseback edge, slender bezel.

Movement: Calibre 2162 R31/270, self-winding. Hallmark of Geneva certified. 31 mm diameter, 6.35 mm thick. Approx. 72-hour power reserve, 2.5 Hz (18,000 vph). 242 components, 30 jewels. Peripheral gold oscillating weight. ‘Côte unique’ finish, 270th anniversary emblem engraving. Indications: Hours, minutes, retrograde date (blued gold hand), tourbillon at 6 o'clock with small seconds.

Dial: Openface, two parts: Openworked 18K gold dial section, hand-guilloché with 270th anniversary Maltese cross motif. Movement plate with vertical straightening visible. 18K gold applied hour-markers, Dauphine-type hours/minutes hands. Railway minute track.

Strap: Dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather, large square scales, alligator leather lining, hand-stitched. 950 platinum folding buckle, polished half Maltese cross-shaped.

Price: Price on request

Reference Number: 6010T/000P-H055

Notes: Limited edition of 370. Celebrates 270th anniversary. Features tourbillon regulator combined with retrograde date complication. Utilizes peripheral rotor for slim profile. Unique anniversary guilloché pattern.



Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface

Case: 950 platinum, 41 mm diameter, 11.05 mm thick. Transparent sapphire crystal caseback. Water-resistance tested at 3 bar (approx. 30 metres). Stepped lugs, fluted caseback edge, slender bezel.

Movement: Calibre 2460 QCL/270, self-winding. Hallmark of Geneva certified. 29 mm diameter, 6.35 mm thick. Approx. 40-hour power reserve, 4 Hz (28,800 vph). 312 components, 27 jewels. ‘Côte unique’ finish, 270th anniversary emblem engraving. Indications: Hours, minutes, complete calendar (day, month via sapphire discs; date via blued gold peripheral hand), precision moon phase.

Dial: Openface, two parts: Openworked 18K gold dial section, hand-guilloché with 270th anniversary Maltese cross motif. Movement plate with vertical straightening visible. 18K gold applied hour-markers, Dauphine-type hours/minutes hands. Railway minute track.

Strap: Dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather, large square scales, alligator leather lining, hand-stitched. 950 platinum folding buckle, polished half Maltese cross-shaped.

Price: $69,500 USD

Reference Number: 4020T/000P-H038

Notes: Limited edition of 370. Celebrates 270th anniversary. Displays complete calendar (day, date, month) alongside a precision moon phase. Unique anniversary guilloché pattern on openworked dial.