Vacheron Constantin Ref. 47245 Retrograde Date

A quick warning, this watch is a marvel.

Honestly when I remember, as Respo did some days ago, the Vacheron Catalog from the early 2000's, I have, immediately in mind, the reasons which made me love this brand so much.

There were a lot of watches which expressed Poetry, Romantism, and Beauty, in a delicate and exquisite way.

Some examples? The Mercator, the Les Historiques Chronograph, the Perpetual Calendar Skeleton, the Minute rRepeater deeserve to be mentionned, and this is not an exhaustive list.

It is not a secret that I am not a big fan of dates. Most of the time, I feel they ruin the dial.

Except when they are part of the watch, like the JLC Polaris or the Rolex GMT, or when they add something techniical ( The Big Date we can find on some Ulysse Nardin, JLCs or Lange ), really useful, or... romantic, once again, like... This Reference 47245, which displays a conventional and circular day, and a retrograde date.

Please keep in mind that this reference was not available in platinum, only, but also in rose gold and in white gold.

Both being superb and elegant, but the platinum adds some strenght to these aesthetical virtues.

Let's examine it through some pictures I was able to take, of the platinum version, which comes with a superb black dial.

There is a lot to say about the case...

With a diameter of 37 mm, for a height of 10 mm, we cannot say that it is a flat or thin watch.

BUT the case has, shows, " sweats " Charm, and a lot of character, due to the shape of its lugs.

It has style, without being mannered.





The transparent case back reveals the presence of a movement, the Cal 1126/ 1, which sounds familiar to the Jaeger-Lecoultre Moderator I am....



The movement is the only reserve I have on this watch, a reserve I also feel when it comes to the Mercator. Such lovely, fine, and great watches would have, maybe, deserved something finer. Not that the movement is not good, but I don't think it is at the level of the rest of these watches, in my very personal opinion.

A solid case back would have been a better solution, me think...

The dial is a summit of elegance. Its textured finish, the white gold applied hour markers ( roman numbers and dots ) are not disappointing, as well as the very simple hour, minute and day hands.

To avoid any confusion, the date hand is differently shaped. A subtle contrast.



Well the " passage " of the date is normal till the 31th, seeing it retrograding to the 1st is something spectacular.

Two last comments:

1/ For those who think that 37 mm is too small, I can only recommend to try it.

Small is often the counterpart of " exquisite ", and for a watch of this category, I find the size to be perfect.

2/ Is there a better version than this platinum one? I would say that it is a matter of taste, some preferring colored gold cases, but there is another one which is sublime...

The open dial version:



This is the kind of watch which is consistent with the idea I have of Vacheron Constantin, and one of the reasons of my love for the brand.

Hoping that you had as much pleasure to read this view on this reference, as I had to write it,

Best.

Nicolas