Vacheron Constantin

Vacheron Constantin has used the manual winding chronograph caliber 1141, based on the classic Lemania 2320, for almost two decades now, and it has been the engine in three of the brand’s most popular watches: the Historiques Chronograph, the Malte Chronograph, and most recently, the Patrimony Traditionnelle Chronograph. My intent with this essay to share my thoughts on each of those watches, what I like and what I don’t like about them.



Les Historiques Chronograph

With the mechanical watch rennasiansce of the 1990’s underway, Vacheron Constantin found inspiration in its heritage and recreated designs froms the 1940’s and 1950’s. Drawing on the distinctive lugs of its reference 4178 chronograph, the Historiques Chronograph added two millimeters to the case diameter of its 35 mm ancestor.


There were five variations on this design: Yellow gold with silver dial; YG with black dial; Platinum with silver dial; Platinum with salmon dial; Platinum with black dial (limited to 25 pieces for the Japanese market).

I was priveledged to own both a Historiques Chronogrph and a vintage 4178 chronograph. I was very happy with both watches, but there were a few design details of the Historiques Chronograph that always bothered me (nothing about the 4178 bothered me). First and foremost was that the lugs were shortened when compared with the 4178, in which the lugs extend all the way down to be flush with the bottom of the case back. In the Historiques Chronograph they only went down to the bottom of the middle section of the case, and when  the watch was worn the seemed to float above the wrist. My other complaint was that the chronograph hand and subdial hands were black, which gave the watch a too-elegant appeacance when what I wanted was a little more sporty. As so often is the case, the imitation of the origianl is less than the original. Had I not had experience with the 4178 I probably wouldn't be picking nits like this.

Malte Chronograph

Vacheron Constantin obliged the market’s demand for a larger manual winding chronograph in 2004 when it introduced the 42 mm Malte Chronograph. For fans of the Historiques Chronograph it seemed obscenely large, but it soon would prove to be a popular product for the brand. The flared and stepped lugs and the swordblade hands that are the design signature of the Malte line are present and attractive.


I especially appreciate the use of blued hands for the chronograph and totalizer hands, which recalls the look of the great vintage Patek Philippe chronographs, where the hour, minute, and running seconds hard are all of one color, and the chronograph and totalizer hands are of a different color. The use of  both the tachymeter and telemeter scales on the outside of the dial, reminiscent of some vintage VC watches. My only quibble with this watch is the textured pattern on the dial, which strikes me as being precious.


The Excellence Platine version solves this problem beautifully with its sandblasted patium dial. I think this is the most desireable modern chronograph from VC to date.




Patrimony Traditionnelle Chronograph

With the Malte line consolidating around the tonneau case, it seemed natural for Vacheron Constantin to bring the caliber 1141 into the fold of the Patrimony collection, which consists entirely of round watches. In 2009, VC introduced the Patrimony Traditionnelle Chronograph, which kept the 42 mm case diameter of Malte, but brings the signature design elements of the Traditionnelle line to the fore. These are the stepped case with stepped lugs and knurling on the caseback edge, dauphine hands, and two-tone dial with faceted hour indices.



I can only give this watch my highest compliment: What’s not to love?

Bill

This two-tone version is my favorite from SIHH 2010.  Thanks to Foversta for this photo.

Hey Bill,

Very nice write up of the various VC's that have been powered by the 1141.  I think the Historique Chrono is beloved by almost everyone that comes into contact with it (especially those that have not owned the vintages pieces upon which it was based).  Its elegant, not large merely for the sake of being large, and it represented a tremendous bargain compared to the entry level price of a PP 5070 even back in 1999. 

For me the Malte Chrono is the piece that has taken me the longest to warm up to.  I found the pushers more appropriate looking on an IWC pilot chrono than on a VC.  The mix of circles and Arabic numerals was just not as graceful as the stick markers with Arabics at 12 &6 of the Historique or the simple stick markers of Patrimony Traditionelle.  I was also not a fan of the guillochet design of the dial, but more importantly, I don't think it needed to say "chronographe" on the dial, it just adds clutter.  I thought the jump in size was a bit much from 37 to 42, but I understood the need to adjust size for market trends, although I thought its jump in price was a bit crazy when it was released.

Thankfully, with the Patrimony Traditionelle brought back rectangular pushers, eliminated the word chronograph from the dial, and its equipped with a beautiful two tone dial scheme.  This is one of my favorite recent pieces from VC.

Best regards,

Dino

Hello WHL,

Interesting to read about the VC Chronos, thanks!

-MW

VC does such a great job with dials and lugs in particular, IMO.  Their designs are very much to my taste.

Thanks for a great post, Bill!

Cheers,

Daos

.

Personaly, I would rank the Patrimony at the 3rd place.

I'm a big fan of the special lugs on the former models, and having straight lugs on the latest VC Chrono makes it look more " normal ", compared to other Chronos.

Therefore, I think that the caliber is a bit sunk in a 42 mm case, which has also an incidence on the location of the 2 counters, too centered.

But, to have seen a Malte Chrono Excellence Series in platinum, I have to agree with you, as well as your observation on the WG version which I owned, by the way, and which I sold because I got tired of the " guilloché " on the dial.

I never had the chance to own a Vintage Chrono from VC, but I would certainly like it.

For the moment, I'm veeery happy with my Salmon dial!



Thanks a lot for this superb post, Bill.

Best,

Nicolas

Memories from our dinner in Paris at Brasserie Lutetia

Regards,

ED-209

This message has been edited by ED209 on 2010-03-01 22:43:16

This VC " Les Historiques " still proudly stands in my small Chrono Collection.

So, Ed, we do we do it again?



Best, my friend.

Nicolas

Thanks Bill for the background on the VC chronographs. 

I fondly remember a visit back in October 2008 after the PuristS manufacturers tour that we made a special visit to Paris and had the pleasure of meeting our fellow moderator, amanico.  He brought along some special watches including a Vacheron chrono in platinum with the salmon dial:

Regards,

ED-209

and always great to get some "personal thoughts" about watches.

Just one hint:

"Platinum with black dial (limited to 25 pieces for the Japanese market)"

Wasn´t it Taiwan?

Thanks
Oliver

AFAIK, the platinum black dial was made for Taiwan...

Best,

Nicolas

the fact that one of the owners of this watch is based in Taiwan. I will ask VC's Patrimony department for which market this limited watch was made.

Bill

was made for the Taiwanese market. I stand corrected.

 

Bill

what is not to love??

very elegant....

cheers

I really enjoy reading your posts about the history, and following the VC DNA over the years as well as your insightful opinions about the watches.

Thanks!  BR, Dan

P.S.  I like the EP and new two-tone chronos the best