Vacheron Constantin

Tallying the results, and not including my own preference, here is the breakdown:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and yet while several found the VC more sexy externally, they were torn by the more complicated innards of the JLC. I find this fascinating because to me, all mechanical watches are versions of perpetual motion machines (with some regular nudges!)... although it is fantastic that some watches have the analog capacity to keep track of the month, day and date until, say, 2199, it does not bother me to know that I may need to readjust a few settings when I prepare to strap on a watch after having worn something else for whatever reason.

One of things which I find appealing about the VC, in addition to its clean lovely display, is the absence of a moonphase. How many of those with moonphases actually look at their watch, realize it is a full moon, and then go outside that night to see the full moon? Or for that matter, the half-moon, quarter moon, new moon, etc?

How many available watches are currently in the catalogs of the manufactures that come in steel, are triple calendars and do not have moon phase? Or come in steel, are perpetual calendars and do not have moon phases? (Or annual calendars for that matter...) Likewise, how many new produced steel perpetual calendars are available?

JLC has its 39mm steel master calendar, which comes with moon phase (at half the price of the JLC Perpetual and VC triple calendar).

Ulysses Nardin has its 41mm steel perpetual calendar that does not have a moon phase. The UN design is most un-classical, but does cost about the same as our focus two pieces.

Glaushutte Original has its 42mm steel perpetual calendar that does have a moon phase and costs more than both the JLC and VC, and is even larger for those with size issues, and cost a few thousand more than our focus.

Patek has no steel options.

There are vintage steel triple calendars from the 1950s, e.g. Movado, GP, VC and JLC without moon phases, but none new. Omega has vintage triple calendars with moon phase, but none new. Maybe others will now follow suit after VC's lead with this throwback, at an even more enticing price point...

Lastly, only one commenter touched on the subject of movement finishing, and noted that the VC has more refined finishing. No one mentioned, or therefore cared about VC having the Hallmark of Geneva, which I also found interesting.

All to say: regardless of how consciously or subconsciously we make our choices, there are many levels at which we judge watches, as everything else in life, and there are many aspects of (whatever) that ultimately influence our preferences and choices which go into even so-called "gut" decisions. Our guts know more than we think!

Let me know if you like this mini-analysis. Best, Marc

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