Vacheron Constantin

Summer brings a more relaxed feel to life. School is out of session, the weather is warm, and dress is more casual. The watches we wear should follow the spirit of the season. Larger cases, stainless steel heads, and either stainless steel bracelets or rubber straps all point this more casual feeling. As regards Vacheron Constantin, this means it is time to pull out the Overseas!

Vacheron Constantin originally launched the Overseas line in 1994 with the Overseas Chronometer, and expanded it a few years later with the Overseas Chronograph. With the Overseas, Vacheron Constantin finally had a hit in the market for luxury sports watches, after false starts with the 222 (now a cult classic) and the Phidias.

The Overseas Chronometer used a Girard Perregaux caliber 3100 as its base movement, and is a COSC certified chronometer. It was offered in two sizes for men, 35 mm and 37 mm, and with a variety of dial colors: blue, silver, black, and salmon with stick markers, and black and blue with Arabic numbers.


One touch that I appreciate in these older models is the case back having the shape of the bezel.


The caliber 1137 used in the Overseas Chronograph is based on the Piguet 1185 to which Vacheron Constantin added the large date function. This watch is 40 mm in diameter and a worthy competitor to the Royal Oak Chronograph. It came with either a silver dial with stick markets or black Arabic dial.


Gold cases were an option for both references.


For the tenth anniversary of the line in 2004, Vacheron Constantin redesigned the Overseas. Now offered in three references, Overseas (Automatic with Date), Overseas Chronograph, and Overseas Dual Time, the diameter of the case expanded to 42mm for all models, the bracelet incorporated Vacheron Constantin’s signature Maltese Cross in its design, and the movement was encased in a soft iron core to protect it from magnetic fields.

Vacheron Constantin moved away from the GP caliber for the new basic Overseas, employing the JLC 889. For a detailed review of this watch from Jack Forster, click here.



The Overseas Chronograph kept the same caliber as it’s predecessor, and, like the base model, added a textured dial.


Complementing the voyaging theme inherent in the Overseas collection, the Dual Time model is a welcome addition to the line. Like the base model, the Overseas Dual Time has a JLC movement inside. The screw down crown at two o’clock is for quick correction of the date. The subdial at six o’clock indicates the second time zone, distinguishing between AM and PM. The power reserve is the fan at between 8 and 11 o’clock.


The Chronograph and Dual Time models are available in gold, either on a strap or with the bracelet.

In 2009 Vacheron Constantin offered a new variation of the Overseas and Overseas Chronograph, incorporating titanium in the bezel as well as in the screws of the chronograph pushers and capturing the grey of the titanium in the color of the dial. The bracelet was replaced with a grey alligator strap along with a grey rubber strap.




In 2010, the Overseas Dual Time gets this update look:



New for the summer of 2010, Vacheron Constantin is making a limited edition of 100 Overseas Chronograph watches for the Greek market. The distinguishing characteristics are the blue dial with black subdials, the matching blue rubber and leather straps, and with the engraved Greek Trireme on the case back replacing Amerigo Vespucci’s ship



The Overseas remains a sophisticated and sporty watch 15 years after its birth.

Bill

 

I think so!

I, too, love that detail on the older model where the caseback has the same "bezel" as on the front.  Nice touch!

What I would really like to see is a chronograph/GMT Overseas, which would make it pretty much perfect for me.  Maybe in 2011????

Great summary of the Overseas. Thanks for sharing this roundup of the OS.

respo

but I have a very strong preference for bracelets over straps in the summer.

I'm not one who like combinations of complications in watches, so I'd prefer to keep my GMT separate from my chronograph. While the Overseas Dual Time has the wow factor of  a dial with a lot of information on it, my prefernce in layouts for the GMT is more like Rolex's in the GMT-Master II.  Still, I'll always look forward to seeing new models in the Overseas line.

Bill

Always have loved the one in the 1st pic. That "navy" dial maked it very special and been thinking about buying one for many years.

An elegant but sporty look, a very reliable GP movement and an average size for the age.

Who knows? Maybe I'll jump on it someday. The problems with the bracelet and the clasp had made me think twice more than once.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

 

 

Vte

I understand what you mean by the "problems with the bracelet and clasp." My bracelet kinks on occasion, and now that the watch is entering its second decade of use, the clasp is beginning to fail. The watch is still quite usable due to the lock that holds the two bracelet sections to the clasp, but ultimately I will need a new clasp.

Are you aware that the blue Arabic-dial Overseas was a limited edition of 75 time pieces for the North American market? You shouldn't hesitate when one becomes available.

Bill

Hi Bill,

Great retrospective on the Overseas line. 

I prefer, and have, two generation 1 OSs - the Chronometer and the Chronograph.

I like their "plain", but to me, very legible dials and bracelets (yes they do stick/kink on occasion but never when I'm wearing them and its always been easy for me to the the kink out of it).  They never get noticed, and I like that.  I wear them very often and consider the my daily wearers. 

I like taking the chronograph when I travel - it may be heretical, but I've used the chrono function as a dual time display on occasion. (I also really like that the sub-dials are the same size, as opposed to the Gen. 2 chronograph).

Best Regards, Dan

for the 30 minute counter on the new Overseas, but it wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me.

Bill

1st generation but loved the dials. Loved the size and bracelet on the 2nd generation but not the guilloché dials.

Then in 2007 came the US version, 1st OS in steel on strap plus a grainy dial. Loved it. Then came the non guilliochée dial models in RG followed by the steel/titanium models. Now I don't know which one to choose even if this one is high on my list

 

 

the chocolate brown dial and rubber strap (the gold bracelet would be nice, too).  I am not sure, but maybe it would be improved with a guilliochée dial, but that would not be a deal breaker.  Thatnsk for posting that photo and reminding me how much I love that watch.

respo

The gold Overseas are also beautiful and I only gave them passing mention in my post, more for a lack of photographs than a lack of appreciation!

Bill

My favourite is the 1st generation Chronograph on the matt black military dial and am still searching for one.

Goh

I'm sure you'll get your watch.

Bill

It seems like an inauspicious time to release a LE to the Greek market...

A

But I see no reason for any collector in any location interested in the watch not to contact the Greek AD's to inquire about purchasing the watch. The though has certainly crossed my mind...

Bill

looking from this series of pics, although you can see Overseas has been evolving rapidly, interestingly you can recognize unique DNA in Overseas existing still there!

stefan

the design team did a great job when updating the Overseas to make both the "old" and "new" styles instantly recognizable as being Overseas.

Bill

...the additional rubber strap for the "Gray"-collection is actually black, not grey. Only the wonderful and luxurious croc strap is gray.

and the wonderful new photos.

Bill