Review: A Logical Progression – The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon

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Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon

The Overseas is Vacheron Constantin’s household sports watch line Having received an overhaul for its 20th anniversary in 2016, the current generation of Overseas watches is home to numerous complications, ranging from the simple date, to the more sophisticated chronograph and perpetual calendar This year, the grande dame of haute horlogerie expands its sports watch collection with the introduction of a tourbillon piece.

Enter, the new Overseas Tourbillon.

The Case, Dial, and Hands

The new Overseas Tourbillon makes its debut in a stainless steel case measuring 42.5 mm in diameter and 10.39 mm in height At its size, the watch should fit most wrists while retaining the presence of a sports watch Its centimetre thick case will slide under all but the tightest of cuffs.

The most prominent design aspect of the Overseas has always been the Maltese cross-inspired bezel Polished to a sheen, it stands out on the mostly satin-finished case As is true for all other third-generation Overseas timepieces, the Overseas Tourbillon is built with a proprietary strap quick-change mechanism which allows for seamless swapping of straps/bracelet.

The watch also comes with a stainless steel bracelet, a rubber strap, and a leather strap at purchase Going from boardroom to bar to beach has never been easier.

The finissage of the case is nuanced, with a largely satin-finished case, a polished bezel and polished bevels on the edges.

The dial of the Overseas Tourbillon is immensely alluring It is sunburst-grained, and yet possesses a lacquered quality.

As one can imagine, this results in a dial that interacts playfully with light Its hue morphs from electric blue to black depending on the angle of incident light On it are applied hour markers, as well as pencil-style minute and hour hands, all of which are coated with luminescent material for low- or no-light visibility.

At the 6 o’clock position, sits the star of the show: the tourbillon Famed for its resemblance to the Maltese cross, the brand’s chosen logo, the tourbillon cage is arguably the most evocative and difficult to finish in the industry It boasts numerous sharp exterior and interior angles that are extremely challenging to chamfer and polish.

The top surface, including three of the four screw heads, is also black polished for an elegant look The final screw is flame-blued and serves as a pointer for the seconds The bridge that secures the tourbillon is not only rounded, but also black polished – again, a tough task for the brand’s master finniseurs and a testament to their skills.

The iconic Maltese cross tourbillon cage – impeccably polished.

The Movement

Driving the Overseas Tourbillon is none other than Vacheron Constantin’s Calibre 2160 The 188-part, 30-jewel calibre is the brand’s very first automatic tourbillon movement, having made its first appearance in the Traditionelle Tourbillon in 2018, and then in the FiftySix Tourbillon It boasts a power reserve of 80 hours when fully wound – impressive, for a watch with a power hungry technical complication.

The lazy 2.5 Hz beat rate of the balance []

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