VACHERON CONSTANTIN

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon in titanium with a red dial

It kind of feels like Vacheron Constantin's Overseas Tourbillon has been here for a long time now. A few years back, one of my first hands-on stories for Hodinkee was on the skeletonized titanium version, which followed the blue dial/steel release that came out in 2019. Six years isn't that long, especially for a halo piece like this, but it is enough time that even a good watch can use a bit of a refresh. Following on from the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin in white gold, VC has announced a titanium execution with a burgundy sunburst dial, and it looks stunning.

The red dial draws attention to the one-minute tourbillon with Maltese cross cage, with the one darkened screw that acts as a running seconds indicator. Aside from the dial and its white and light blue printing, with a matte-lacquered flange, the rest of the watch remains largely the same, with a 42.5mm-wide by 10.39mm Titanium grade 5 case with a soft-iron inner casing for anti-magnetism. The movement is powered by a peripheral 22k winding rotor, allowing you to see the inner workings through the display caseback. You also get 80 hours of power reserve, which is pretty substantial for a tourbillon, plus 50m of water resistance.

One of the best things about the Overseas line is the very easily interchangeable strap system. Here, in addition to the titanium bracelet, you get white and burgundy rubber straps that easily snap into the case and come with a deployant buckle. The new Overseas is available at Vacheron Constantin boutiques, and the price is on request. Well, after a little digging, we've got that price for you: $159,000.

This is a beautiful watch and a nice refresh from Vacheron. I have a soft spot for the Overseas line as I think they do a few things better than other "Holy Trinity" integrated bracelet watches, especially when it comes to wearability, bracelet interchange, and even dial finishing. The 42.5mm wide case is maybe a bit on the edge of what I'd want to wear, but from past experience, it looks quite cool. My only qualm is that the price for a Titanium Overseas Tourbillon in 2024 was $129,000, so this represents a $30,000 increase. Secondary market prices sit around $140,000, so somewhere in the middle might have been good, but that said, with the way the market is going lately, this isn't too far out of line.

Caliber: VC Calibre 2160

Functions: Hours, minutes, one-minute tourbillon with seconds on tourbillon carriage

Diameter: 31mm

Thickness: 5.65mm

Power reserve: 80 hours

Winding: Automatic with a 22k peripheral gold rotor

Frequency: 18,800vph

Jewels: 30

Chronometer certified: No

Additional details: Hallmark of Geneva certified

Pricing & availability:

Price: $159,000

Availability: Vacheron Constantin Boutiques only

by: Thebestwatch