Vacheron Constantin in 2016 celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Overseas collection with a substantial re-boot. That much-lauded debut offered five new models and twelve references, all with interchangeable leather or rubber straps and most with metal bracelets. Since then we’ve seen additional pieces expand the allure of the new ‘casual chic’ Overseas, notably a dynamite Overseas world timer we told you about here.
But amid a flurry of complex, astronomical-themed debuts at SIHH this past January, Vacheron Constantin quietly expanded its Overseas collection with six all-steel or two-tone models, with the latter examples mixing pink gold and steel. The newer offering includes four 37mm models (three without the diamonds seen on this size initially in 2016), while adding two-tone options to both the 41mm Overseas Automatic 4500V collection with date and the 42.5mm Overseas Chronograph we saw debut in 2016.
Thus, Vacheron Constantin now offers a watch for those who enjoyed the smaller diameter, time-only 37mm Overseas from 2016, but who would have liked it even more without diamonds. In addition, these all-steel or steel-with-gold options bring down the entry-level prices for the smaller-sized Overseas models since three of the 2017 offerings don’t include a diamond bezel.
Two of the 37mm Overseas small debuts are cased in all-steel (with blue or rosy beige dials) and the third features a steel case and a pink gold bezel around a silver dial. A fourth 37mm model is also two-tone with a silver dial and includes 84 round-cut diamonds on its pink gold bezel.
All these 37mm Overseas debuts are powered by the same Vacheron Constantin Manufacture Calibre 5300 with central hours and minutes and offset small seconds (at 9 o’clock) we saw inside the 2016 debuts. Each of the newer all-steel timepieces is delivered with a stainless steel bracelet accompanied by two additional straps in rubber and alligator leather respectively. The two-tone models arrive with a rubber strap and an alligator leather strap.
Automatic and Chronograph
The newer 41mm Overseas Automatic displays hours, minutes, seconds and date on a translucent silver-toned lacquered dial. This newly two-toned Overseas Automatic is powered by a caliber that befits its size and added function: Manufacture Calibre 5100, which debuted with the collection last year. As a member of the Overseas family, this example also arrives with strap options, namely a leather strap (dark brown alligator) and a brown rubber strap, both held to the wrist with a stainless steel triple-blade folding clasp with push-pieces and patented interchangeable system.
The 42.5mm chronograph, reveling in its new two-tone attire of pink gold (bezel and pushers) and steel (case), is equipped with the terrific automatic Calibre 5200 column-wheel chronograph with vertical clutch. A close look at the column wheel itself (via the sapphire caseback) will reveal a screw shaped like the brand’s emblematic Maltese cross. To learn more about this caliber, see the Vacheron Constantin site here.
The Overseas chronograph, like the 41mm Automatic date model described above, also arrives with two interchangeable (alligator and brown rubber) straps and a folding clasp. Of course, all these debuts are Hallmark of Geneva certified timepieces.
Prices: — $18,400 (37mm all-steel); $21,700 (two-tone models, no diamonds); $28,000 (two-tone with diamonds); $32,500 (two-tone chronograph) and $23,300 (two-tone automatic)
SPECIFICATIONS:
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Small (two tone and steel)
References:Two-tone: 2300V/100M-B400, 2305V/100M-B400 (diamond-set with 84 diamonds)
Steel models: 2300V/100A-B078 (rosy beige dial) and 2300V/100A-B170 (blue dial)
Caliber: 5300 self-winding, 22-karat gold Overseas oscillating weight
22.6 mm (9’’’¾) diameter, 4 mm thick
Approximately 44 hours of power reserve
4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
Indications:Hours and minutes
Small seconds at 9 o’clock
Case: 37mm stainless steel with or without 18-karat 5N pink gold bezel, 10.8 mm thick
Soft iron casing ring ensuring anti-magnetic protection, screwed-down crown, transparent sapphire crystal caseback, water-resistance to 150 meters
Dial: Two-tone models: Translucent silver-toned, sunburst satin-finished base with velvet-finished minute-track, 18-karat gold hour-markers and hours & minutes hands highlighted with white luminescent material
All-steel models: Translucent rosy beige/blue lacquered, sunburst satin-finished base with velvet-finished minute-track, 18-karat gold hour-markers and hours & minutes hands highlighted with white luminescent material.
Bracelets/Straps: Two-tone models: Dark brown alligator leather, hand-stitched, black nubuck lining with a micro-perforated effect, large square scales, Delivered with a second strap in dark brown rubber. Stainless steel triple-blade folding clasp with push-pieces and patented interchangeable system, compatible with both straps.
All-steel models: Stainless steel bracelet, half Maltese cross-shaped polished and satin-brushed links, delivered with a second strap in rosy beige/blue alligator leather, hand-stitched, black nubuck lining with a micro-perforated effect, large square scales, delivered with a third strap in rosy beige/blue rubber.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas
References: 4500V/000M-B127
Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
Movement: Caliber 5100, automatic with 22-karat gold Overseas oscillating weight, 30.6 mm (13’’’¼) diameter, 4.7 mm thick, approximately 60 hours of power reserve, 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
Indications:Hours and minutes, central seconds, date
Case: 41mm stainless steel with 18-karat 5N pink gold bezel, 11 mm thick, soft iron casing ring ensuring anti-magnetic protection, screwed-down crown, transparent sapphire crystal caseback, water-resistance to 150 meters.
Dial: Translucent silver-toned lacquered, sunburst satin-finished base with velvet-finished flange, 18-karat gold hour-markers and hours & minutes hands highlighted with white luminescent material
Straps: Dark brown alligator leather, hand-stitched, black nubuck lining with a micro-perforated effect, large square scales, delivered with a second strap in dark brown rubber, stainless steel triple-blade folding clasp with push-pieces and patented interchangeable system, compatible with both straps.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph
Reference: 5500V/000M-B074
Movement: Caliber 5200, automatic with 22K gold Overseas oscillating weight, 30.6 mm (13’’’¼) diameter, 6.6 mm thick, approximately 52 hours of power reserve
4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
Indications: Hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock, date, column-wheel chronograph (30-minute and 12-hour counters)
Case: 42.5mm stainless steel with 18-karat 5N pink gold bezel, 13.7 mm thick, soft iron casing ring ensuring anti-magnetic protection, screwed-down crown and quarter-turn screw-lock push-pieces, transparent sapphire crystal caseback
Water-resistance 150 meters
Dial: Translucent silver-toned lacquered, sunburst satin-finished base with velvet-finished flange, snailed counters, 18-karat gold hour-markers and hours & minutes hands highlighted with white luminescent material,
Straps: Dark brown alligator leather, hand-stitched, black nubuck lining with a micro-perforated effect, large square scales, delivered with a second strap in dark brown rubber, stainless steel triple-blade folding clasp with push-pieces and patented interchangeable system, compatible with both straps