A visit at the Vacheron booth at the SIHH is always mandatory. First because we have the pleasure to meet our friend Alex, then because Vacheron has always a very special way to create a warm atmosphere at its booth by emphasizing the "Metiers d'Art" and the skills of its artistic team and last because... the newest Vacheron collection is year after year a main event of the SIHH.
I will be frank with you and will not beat around the bush: for the first time for many years, I was a bit disappointed by this new collection. Don't get me wrong: Vacheron was quite active by presenting complicated watches, new dials, a redesigned line and some gold nuggets can be found in it... but the most important is to be able to answer in a few seconds to the classic question: what do you think about the 2012 Vacheron offer? And I had to think, think again during long minutes to be able to bring a decent answer. If I put aside Les Univers Infinis watches, nothing was really eye-catching in my point of view. Finishings and watchmaking contents were still solid and faithful to Vacheron reputation. But maybe this collection was lacking something magic, something more daring.
Anyway, I propose to browse the watches I saw during my visit.
The main event of the year for Vacheron is the
new Malte case. 2012 is ovbiously the perfect year for this change because we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first tonneau watch at Vacheron. Main change can be found, when compared with the previous tonneau case in the sides: we come from curved sides to more sharp ones. I have the feelings that the ratio between the width at mid case and the lugs width is higher. Moreover, the case shape tends to be more hexagonal than "tonneau". It gives an unusual feeling and I was far from being convinced by it even if Vacheron worked efficiently on its slender side. Positive point is that it feels more "up-to-date" even if I'm not a fan of it.
3 watches were presented:
1) One with
PG case (36,7 x 47,6mm which is rather big for a non-round watch),
small seconds and applied indexes and figures.
Good point about this watch is the use of the handwind and excellent movement 4400.
Bad point is the use... of the round movement 4400. I would have expected from Vacheron a caliber which would have perfectly match the case.
The watch is very nicely executed, the applied figures and indexes bring volume to the dial. The subdial position indicates that the caliber is a bit too small for the case... giving the same regret about the use of a non-exclusive movement.
The Malte small seconds is an elegant watch, quite big on the wrist what balances its discreet dial... if not boring.
We are touching here the trouble of this new line: it lacks spice and several weeks after the SIHH, I still have the same feeling.
2) I have better feeling with the
PT 100th Anniversary Malte. Its dial is more balanced due to the absence of the subdial and the use of twelve roman figures which are almost stuck together. Their ends draw an inner zone which limit is similar to the case shape. A nice aesthetical trick. Colours atmosphere is very different from the PG Small Seconds. Dial is far from being flat thanks to its subtle grainy texture. The 100th Anniversary Malte has a solid caseback and it is sold in LE of 100 watches.
3) I spoke about my disappointment of not seeing a dedicated movement to the new Malte case. But hopefully, for its most complicated new Malte, Vacheron used a new handwind
Tourbillon movement, the 2795. This movement has very classic features: a low frequency, a rather short power reserve (45 hours) but Tourbillon cage is huge what creates a large hole on the dial.
Of course, I know that some of you will deeply regret this huge dial opening. But well... it works in the context of the Malte because its round shape breaks the too austere style of the Malte case. Let's be honest with you: we only see the Tourbillon. We forget everything around. You will notice that the hands are a bit off-centered to give to the Tourbillon cage enough space.
Case is larger here (38mm x 48,2mm) to house this big Tourbillon.
Movement finishings are impressive as we can judge them thanks notably to the beleved angles and edges of the upper bridge. I like the movement lay-out even if I would have prefered a thinner Tourbillon bridge.
We jump to the Patrimony collection but we stay with a Tourbillon movement.
The new
Patrimony Traditionnelle Tourbillon 14 days was not a surprise because its press release was published before the end of 2011.
It is, like the Malte Tourbillon, a watch entirely focussed on the magic behaviour of the Tourbillon even if, due to the large power reserve, it features dial side a power reserve display. Again, the hands are slightly off-centered (it is less visible than with the Malte).
The inner railroad on the dial makes us think that a smaller case would have been possible. Anyway, its 42mm size is ok for me.
Movement 2260 has a 2,5 frequency and 14 days of power reserve. Despite this large power reserve and the Tourbillon, the watch remains rather thin (12,2mm).
Movement finishings are, once again, excellent. Tourbillon bridge has a different design than with the Malte Tourbillon.
It was for me a big pleasure to see this new Patrimony, I consider it as a worthy addition to the line thanks to its elegant dial, its "simplicity" and the beauty of its Tourbillon. On the down side, the use of a lot of common points already existing within the Patrimony collection gives it an air of "deja-vu" even if it was released only several weeks ago. Maybe the concept of Patrimony identity goes a bit too far and the watch loses a bit its own personnality.
We leave the world of superlative watches housing in-house movements to the more casual line: the Overseas.
This year, blue was the
new dial colour for the
Overseas chronograph. I would call this colour "logical" because it is also used by some of Vacheron competitors with similar watches. It works pretty well with the Overseas case, especially with the PG one. I found the combo really appealing. This blue was not "too blue" but more a blued grey. I don't know if I'm clear. I don't need to come back to the watches, you know them like 1-2-3.
I wished to finish my report with the new Metiers d'Art collection:
"Les Univers Infinis". First of all, here come the great news: we can separately purchase a single watch. Yes! That was one of my main concerns with the Maki-e ones or of, course, with the Masques.
I like a lot this trio of watches for two main reasons: firstly because it gathers different artistic techniques which give the proof, once again, that Vacheron is maybe the best Maison for its ability to mix horological contents with artistic approach. Secondly because Maurits Cornelis Escher's patterns seem to be created to be used on a dial watch!
After all, flow of time has no limit... no start, no end... like these patterns. I like the idea to use them on timepieces dials. There is a kind of contrast between the hands which try to measure something infinite. The 3 watches share in common the WG case with a diameter of 40mm, the 2460 SC caliber, the hollowed Alpha hands, the production of 20 pieces each. But the patterns make them very different.
1)
Dove Watch: it gathers 4 artistic techniques (engraving, champlevé enamelling, guilloché work and gemsetting). This watch is not as infinite as we way think because there is a single dove with gemset body! Maybe the most refined watch of the trio.
2)
Shell Watch: 2 artistic techniques are used (engraving and champlevé enamelling). Due to its colours atmosphere, it is the most luminous watch of the trio.
3)
Fish Watch: 2 artistic techniques (guilloché work and cloisonné enamelling). This is without any doubt my fav of the trio. First of all, the dial is darker making it more "masculine". Size of the fishs being bigger than the doves and shells, dial loses a bit its "lace" aspect becoming a bit more "rough" which is a good point for me.
3 superb watches, Vacheron at its best especially when a philosophical message is supported by a flawless execution and an inspired design.
My report is over now. You understand now why I wished to finish it with the "Univers Infinis"... because by far, these three watches were the most convincing ones in my point of view. Again, there is nothing really wrong with the others. But I felt that Vacheron was too quiet when they created them. On an overall basis, I would consider 2012 as a year of transition, this is the feeling given to me by the new collection.
I would like to thank a lot the whole Vacheron team for the warm welcome... as usual.
Fx
This message has been edited by WHL on 2012-02-18 21:43:26 This message has been edited by WHL on 2012-02-27 20:17:19 
