Discussion
docsnov initiates a candid discussion about the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony World Time, sharing personal observations on its tactile feel and perceived sturdiness. This post delves into the subjective experience of winding and setting the watch, inviting other collectors to share their insights on the Caliber 2460-based movement and its world time module. The author's detailed account provides a valuable perspective on the ownership experience beyond technical specifications.
Greetings to anyone reading this and I hope everyone had a great Christmas holiday. I am fortunate to have a rainy Sunday with not much to do but relax and watch American and the other type of football and muse on watches. I wanted to preface this post with this disclaimer : this is just something I do to have fun and occupy my mind on a day off work, I do not have an agenda, just feel the urge to throw out some thoughts on VC and other watches and stimulate some conversation to see what others opinions are on what I throw out.
Having said that I got my patrimony world time back in the last 30 days from the shop, for the third time. It is working great, no problems, but I don't have a high degree of confidence in how long it will work correctly. It is a lovely watch, with a beautiful dial and a fantastic working conception with 37 time zones and 3 dials. I love the shading on one of the sapphire dials as a way to show the day night hours. Watching the night creep across the dial over the world map is one of the highlights of the watch. I love that they decided to have all the operations work off the crown without any other crowns or buttons. With all this being in the watch's favor the major hang up I have is it just doesn't feel very sturdy. It kind of reminds me of the sports cars you hear about that look great but are questionable with reliability.
I will detail what I mean by my feeling of the watch's lack of sturdiness. 1. When the watch is wound there is almost no resistance in the winding stem, it almost feels like the crown is spinning freely. It is impossible to tell how many winds it takes to fully wind it because the feel never changes. This has not been my experience with other luxury watches. 2. When the crown is pulled out to position 1 and 2 it is very delicate to get it to click into place for the operation intended, position 1 for changing the reference city and position two for setting the time ( I will call position 0 the crown pushed in). 3. When the crown is in position 1 to change the reference city the dial is turned through 37 delicate clicks or notches in the time wheel that you have to feel to get the reference city in place. 3. In position 2 when setting the time again there is no resistance to turning the minute and hour hands, they move too easily in my opinion. I am not talking about a negative resistance to turning the crown and the hands, I would say they feel flimsy in comparison to other watches. It is hard to describe but those of you who have experienced it will know what I am talking about. It is hard to stop the minute hand in a specific place because any light touch makes it jump. I am most interested to hear others thoughts on this last statement because this movement is a base 2460 with the world time module added on. It is used in many other VC watches and I wonder how it feels to the owners of those watches. How does it feel when you wind it or set the hands? I hope some people will chime in.
Two other brands I can use to compare to VC are Breguet and Patek Phillippe. I currently own a Breguet Hora Mundi and 7727 Chronometrie and have a Patek 5960 annual calander chronograph and their first annual calendar reference, can't remember the number, it is 37 mm with subdials for day and month and has the 24 hand, not the updated moonphase. I used to own a VC Toledo 1951 which I parted with this summer. So I can talk about the 2 watches I have owned from each brand. Starting with Patek I will say I stayed away from them because I felt there was a price premium for the name, and still believe their Calatrava and basic chronograph models are way over priced, but I caved in and bought the used annual calendar and found out what I was missing with Patek. This was a sturdy little watch with a great feel to its winding and setting of the hands. The 5960 which is priced similarly to the VC world time is also solid. It has a nice meaty crown, feels good when you wind it and the hands don't jump with every little touch when you set them. The day, date and month are also perfectly placed in their windows every time. The watch feels like a tank when compared to the VC. In car terms the Patek is like a 4 door luxury sedan, the VC would be the 2 seat sports car with the feathery clutch. On to Breguet which also gets high marks. The setting of the hands with both Breguets feels smooth and not jumpy, and with the hora mundi when the reference city is changed either by turning the crown or pushing the crown at eight o'clock the operation is flawless with definitive clicks and a smooth pushing action. One might think the Breguet chronometrie would be flighty with its magnetic pivots and 72,000 beats per hour, but I have not let it stop running since I got it six months ago and it has run perfectly, and feels great when you wind it and set it. The hora mundi and 5960 are priced in the ballpark of the VC world time, so I use them for the most direct comparison and pictures which I will have below. Bottom line is my Breguet and Patek watches feel much better put together than the 2 VC watches I have owned. I will not talk much about the Toledo but it also did not have the sturdy feel that I get from the other 2 brands.
So, this is what I was thinking about recently and thought I would throw it out there. I would love some feedback from VC owners with other models and your feelings on the solidity of your watches, and if you agree or disagree with my experiences with VC, Breguet,, Patek, or any other brand that you can compare. I will finish by saying I love my world time VC and I am not getting rid of it any time soon, it just feels delicate when I compare it to the other watches I have that are in the price and complication ball park. Below are posted some pictures of the watches discussed. Everyone loves pictures, I am not good at interspersing my text with pictures so the pics are all below. Again, I am not trying to start anything, just musing on the watches I have and would love any feedback from others experiences with VC, Breguet, Patek and how you would compare and contrast them in your hands and on your wrists.
Stewart
The Rolex Cellini Time reference 7727 is part of the Cellini collection, which represents Rolex's more traditional and dress-oriented timepieces, distinct from its Oyster Perpetual professional and classic lines. This reference focuses on essential timekeeping, presenting hours, minutes, and seconds in a refined and understated manner, aligning with the Cellini's design philosophy of classic horology. It is designed to offer a sophisticated alternative within the brand's offerings, emphasizing elegance over robust utility.
This particular reference features an 18k Everose gold case, measuring 39 mm in diameter. It houses the automatic caliber 3132, a self-winding mechanical movement manufactured by Rolex. The watch is fitted with a domed sapphire crystal, contributing to its classic profile, and offers a water resistance of 50 meters. The movement provides a power reserve of approximately 48 hours, ensuring reliable timekeeping.
The Cellini Time 7727 appeals to collectors seeking a dress watch from Rolex that prioritizes classic aesthetics and horological tradition. Its Everose gold case and clean dial design make it suitable for formal occasions. The Cellini collection, including this reference, offers a different facet of Rolex's manufacturing capabilities, focusing on refined design and traditional watchmaking principles.
I understand the kind of feeling you have with your watch (very low resistance while winding or setting the time). I must say my 1815 Lange was a little bit the same (maybe a bit less than you from what I feel in your post) but I must say it was a feeling I liked. I guess it may also be a sign of a fluent movement and energy efficiency as there are less frictions? Anyway, thanks for the interesting owner feedback and you have very nice watches there Stewart. Cheers, Mark
Mont-Blanc introduced a similar watch to the VC WT with the day night shading at only a fraction of the price... Then again.. VC will always be a VC.. I am so sorry to hear the realiability issues you are experiencing. I personally never own a VC before. I closest ever was I about to acquire the Quai de l'Ile.. I am still interested thou. Thank you for sharing your experience and photos! The realiability issues aside, I love the WT by VC! Look very special! Cheers and Happy New Year! .. Jen Chec
but what's wrong with that? You've devoted some thought and effort to the issue, obviously for a purpose, ie, agenda. I'm not bothered, that is what forums are about IMHO. I can both agree and disagree with your comments/observations... In the auto business, they devote a lot of attention to NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) as a subjective component of the customer's decision to purchase. The targets change over the years and currently they have sound engineers fiddling with the exhaust to create
I've been saving this photo found in Antiquorum's database for such a discussion. It would go some way to lessening the inconvenience of losing your watch to extended warranty service if the brands were to return to the practice of providing loaners like this piece which, according to Antiquorum, was a V&C customer loaner. While chocolates and Christmas cards are always welcome, such practical benefits may also encourage people to ante up the extra funds and purchase through ADs and brand bo
when I said I did not have an agenda I was meaning I was not on a VC witch hunt or bashing them as an overall company. Their customer service in response and turn around time for fixing the watch have been fantastic. They have also not charged me for watch repairs even though the warranty has technically expired. I have found on this forum if one gets critical of a watch or brand people can get sensitive about it which is why I through in the disclaimer, I did not want people who love all things
Given I own 11 of them. And covet several others. But I absolutely understand your comments. I have pieces that perform as you have described. I have found that the 1120 movements and the Lemania movements have performed the best. I like how they wind and how they set. I am pretty anal and I hate it when setting the time is impossible as the minute hand jumps. I have learned how many turns you need to get to the end without damage or feel. I also have learned the personalities to know when to st
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