This week, the Palexpo facility in Geneva, Switzerland, will become the center of the watch world for the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, or SIHH, a luxury watch show rivaled only by BaselWorld in relevance and prestige. We’ve got a team on the ground, there to bring you the most exciting releases. Follow our coverage here, and also be sure to check out Instagram. We’ll be posting to our feed throughout the week.
Key Specs
Price: Blue dial (with rubber strap and alligator strap) $75,000; Rose gold (with rose gold bracelet, rubber strap and alligator strap): $92,500
Availability:
Movement: 1120 QP/1
Winding: automatic
Case Diameter: 41.5mm
Case Thickness: 8.1mm
Water Resistance: 50 meters
Unique Features: Perpetual calendar; soft iron inner ring for anti-magnetism; tool-free strap/bracelet change
Upshot: The Overseas is the basis for Vacheron’s sports watch line, originally launched back in 1976 as the reference 222. In 2016, Vacheron updated the line (which included a world timer, an ultra-thin, a perpetual calendar and a chronograph) and it continues to do so, this time adding two new dial looks to the ultra-thin perpetual calendar.
Who It’s For: Vacheron’s Overseas line injects utilitarianism into what otherwise feels like pure luxury. This is even more apparent in an ultra-thin perpetual calendar watch; in addition to the new dial looks (we favor the blue dial with pink gold case), Vacheron uses a tool-free system for easily changing between a bracelet and a leather or even a rubberized strap. Paired with the thinness of the watch, its high water resistance and anti-magnetic case, the aim seems to be luring those everyday steel luxury-sports watch wearers into the fold.
First Take: The sportiness of this watch is apparent. But with this reference in particular, Vacheron’s also furthered its utility as a dress watch, too. The most striking visual features of the Overseas continues to be its funky case shape and six-sided bezel — which in this watch are 18K pink gold. And lest we forget amidst all the other exciting features, it’s a perpetual calendar, with all the bells and whistles to match embedded subtly within subdials and moon phases.
Insight: Vacheron continues its march in two separate directions for the Overseas: sporty and everyday wearable on one hand, dressy and luxurious on the other. Amazingly, it works — and the pink gold case with blue dial makes it one of their best-looking watches yet.
