The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionelle Tourbillon 14 Days Open Worked is, indeed, a mouthful. With that being said, this timepiece ranks as one of the nicest releases that I’ve come across from Vacheron in some time. There is something truly magical when a solidly crafted timepiece, equipped with a functional movement, meets glorious aesthetics. This model is one such example.
The case on this timepiece is crafted from Platinum, which has been highly polished to a magnificent finish. The case measures in at a conservative 42mm, which is a great size that happens to suit many different wrist sizes. The watch is a little thick with a case height of 12.22mm. This is probably due to the tourbillon in the movement. The movement is visible from both the back and front through sapphire crystals on either side of the watch.
The dial is completely open worked, so for all intents and purposes this model is a skeleton watch. This is rare from Vacheron but not unheard of. The movement is a work of art employing different types of finishes and even using a bit of free space around the 8 position for a slightly minimalist approach. The gorgeous tourbillon can be seen at the 6 position as it makes one revolution every minute to keep the negative effects of gravity on the escapement at bay. The hands are sleek dauphine shaped and are rhodium toned. This doesn’t offer the best in legibility but it’s not an impossible task. The hour markers are placed on an extended flange, made from platinum.
The movement, a self-winding in house caliber 2260SQ features the coveted Hallmark of Geneva. The SQ in the movement reference probably means “Squelette”, which translates to Skeleton. As the name suggests, this gent’s timepiece carries a total of 336 hours (14 days) of power reserve. The balance wheel vibrates relatively slowly at 2.5 Hz, most watches today vibrate at 4 Hz to maintain a level of accuracy.
The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionelle Tourbillon 14 Days Open Worked boasts a water resistance of 30 meters and is fitted with a black Alligator leather strap and platinum clasp. This timepiece retails for USD $323,500.
