Vacheron Constantin presents the world’s most complicated watch, the Reference 57260, featuring 57 complications, some of which completely new and unique.
The house of Vacheron Constantin has unveiled the new haute horlogerie creation in honor of its 260th anniversary. For this special occasion, the Maison has designed and developed the most complicated watch ever made – the Reference 57260. Conceived and developed over a period of eight years, the reference 57260 is announced as a double-dial horological masterwork that unites no less than 57 different complications, a couple of which are completely unique. These brand new complications, such as the multiple calendars and double retrograde rattrapante chronograph, had to be designed and developed from the scratch, which, in return, required the creation of a completely new caliber. More familiar complications also had to be modified to fit into this new type of movement.
The most complicated watch in the world is a pocket watch weighing almost a kilo. With its 57 different complications, reference 57260 de-thrones Patek Philippe’s famous Caliber 89, a commemorative pocket watch created in 1989, to celebrate the company's 150th anniversary. Until this year, Calibre 89 remained the most complicated mechanical watch, with 36 different complications. Now Reference 57260 takes over the throne with just about every major complication known to watchmaking, along with a number of brand new improvements. The unique mechanical, manual-winding caliber of this watch is assembled from more than 2800 individual components. It beats at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour, and provides about 60 hours of power reserve. The case measures no less than 98 mm in diameter, and it is 50.55 mm thick. Its total weight is exactly 960 grams, and it isn’t water resistant at all.
The Reference 57260 is made of 18-karat white gold. This double-dial mechanical wonder comes in a large, polished, round case with three-position winding crown with matching indication space on the case band, showing the position of the crown during winding or setting. A co-axial button in the crown controls the functions of the double retrograde chronograph, while another pusher, in the case-band at 11 o’clock, starts and restarts the rattrapante chronograph function. The discrete winding crown, located at the 4 o’clock position is dedicated to the alarm function.
Each side of the watch reveals a regulator-style dial made of solid silver. The first dial reveals a number of completely new functions developed by the Manufacture. First of them is the Hebraic perpetual calendar, an innovative complication, which is announced as one of the greatest contributions to mechanical watchmaking in recent times. The calendar works on the principle of the 19-year Metonic cycle (also known as Golden Number), which is displayed as a sector of 3 o’clock concentric with the chronograph hour register. The sacred date of Yom Kippur is represented by the corresponding retrograde hand at 6 o’clock, completing one full rotation every 19 years. The secular Hebrew calendar is also present, and it is displayed in a four-digit window below the Yom Kippur sector. Within the hour chapter-ring are also four representations of the moon phases, and a hand indicating the age of the month.
Another major innovation is a double retrograde rattrapante chronograph, which is the first complication of this kind ever made. The chronograph is used in the same way as any other split-seconds chronograph, even though its both hands work in harmony and from the same axis. On traditional chronograph, for the reference, two hands function on two separate scales, and on contrasting sides of the dial. There are two chronograph registers – one counting each elapsed minute up to 60-minutes, and one for measurements to up to 12 hours. Above the registers are three special sectors with corresponding hands, for the selection of the mode of chiming, alarm striking, and the alarm power reserve indicator. There are three striking modes available to choose from, while the chiming sequence is that of “Big Ben.” A unique night-time silence feature has also been developed, allowing the wearer to prevent the watch from chiming between the hours of 10pm and 8am.
The second dial reveals astronomical indications and several unique systems developed specifically for this watch: a 12-hour second time zone with a digital world-time display, a double perpetual calendar, and an Armillary sphere tourbillon. The upper half of a dial bears the artistic representation of the night sky and night constellations, as seen from the wearer’s home city. The months are arranged around the edge, while the concentric around the outer border features a scale for the retrograde date. The star dial borders subsidiary dials for the days of the week and months, while the opening above the month dial indicates the leap-year circle.
The edge of the dial is highlighted with three different scales – the outermost is for the months of the year and their respective number of days, while a concentric scale, divided into Zodiac sign periods, indicates the dates of Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes, and the summer and winter solstices. Above the tourbillon aperture is the Equation of Time, while two lateral sectors indicate the time of sunrise/sunset and day/night lengths in the user’s home city.
Another unique feature is the 12-hour second time zone dial with separate day and night indicator window at 10 o’clock position. The complication is the first new system to be developed since Louis Cottie’s famous world time system with 24-hour indication, from 1935. However, the dual-function perpetual calendar, which is also present on this side of the watch, is considered the greatest achievement made during the construction of this watch. What makes it so special is the fact that two possible options are available for the reading of the Gregorian perpetual calendar – either the traditional way, or the business calendar system known as ISO 8601, which is a numerical system that utilizes 52 weeks and 7 days. The ISO calendar system finds its use mainly in the international financial sector, and provides an unambiguous method of referring to dates and times, thus evading misinterpretations particularly in those situations when data are exchanged between countries with different conventions regarding writing dates and times. In addition, the complication integrates a switcher that allows the wearer to shift from ISO mode to traditional calendar year mode.
Finally, the second dial features the Armillary tourbillon cage which can be admired through the aperture beneath the sky chart. It also reveals the watch escapement, and rotates simultaneously in three directions. The tourbillon is named “Armillary” because it looks very much alike the scientific instrument known as the Armillary sphere. The frame of the cage incorporates the Maison’s company symbol of the Maltese Cross, which is visible to the viewer once every 15 seconds during tourbillon’s rotation.
Vacheron Constantin Atelier Cabinotiers Reference 57260 is a one-off piece, produced on demand for a private collector. The watch is a Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece, and its reference number is 57260/000G-B06. Reference 57260 is delivered with a corrector pen and magnifying glass. To learn more about this exquisite timepiece, please visit Vacheron Constantin website.
Author: Marina Milojevic Pinterest
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