Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar
SIHH
SIHH 2019: Vacheron Constantin’s Traditionelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar With An Astounding 65 Days Of Power Reserve
The new dual-frequency watch allows for over two months of continuous operation, solving an age-old issue of keeping perpetual calendars ticking.
By Hyla Bauer
Contributor
When luxury watch collectors talk about their most coveted timepieces, convenience isn’t usually high on the list of topics. Well, that particular horological subject has taken on a new relevance with the introduction of Vacheron Constantin’s new Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar.
This new watch solves problems that only a true collector would know of and appreciate. A perpetual calendar watch needs to keep running in order to keep accurate track of the date, month, time, and leap year. Left to run down on its own, a watch will stop, of course. Which means it will need to be reset. With a perpetual calendar, resetting not only the time, but the date, month, and leap year is time-consuming at best and nigh-on impossible at worst. Resetting the indicators is a formidable task, best left to highly trained watchmakers. So what’s a person to do if they don’t want to wear their perpetual calendar all the time?
Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar
Enter the new Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar, equipped with a staggering 65 days of power reserve. Problem solved. Vacheron Constantin engineered a solution to the demand of constant winding, that is usually accompanied by a fear that a trip to the watchmaker will be required. The Twin Beat wards off stress and worry about keeping its perpetual movement wound.
So how has Vacheron managed to pull off this most recent of its long history of mechanical feats? By creating two frequency modes - one for active wear, and the other for "down" time. The watch has two independent balances, one with a higher "active" frequency of 5Hz, and another with a "resting" frequency of 1.2Hz. A pusher positioned at 8 o'clock on the watch's 42mm platinum case switches the power mode with a simple click. A mode indicator showing what frequency the watch is currently running on is displayed at 9 o'clock. Adding to the convenience factor, the power-reserve indicator simultaneously shows the reserve expected while in standby (1.2Hz) mode or active (5Hz) mode.
The groundbreaking mechanics in the new Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar are housed in a case that matches the exceptional craft of the movement. The upper half of the dial is decorated with fine guillochage and sand-blasted finishes, fitted in an outer segment of sapphire crystal with gold hour indexes. The lower half of the dial is open to enable a partial view of the movement and the full wheels of the month, day, and leap year indicators. The result is a subtle and elegant mix of transparency and meticulous decoration. As always, the Vacheron Constantin movement is polished to perfection, and the “exposed” month, day and leap year indicators clearly showcase the watch’s functionality while adding modernity to its design. This is a movement that has nothing to hide and everything to show.
The Talk of SIHH
The Vacheron Constantin in-house 3610 QP movement is hand-wound, with 64 jewels and a full 480 components. It is Hallmark of Geneva certified, with indications of hours, minutes, an instantaneous perpetual calendar, power reserve, and frequency mode. The Traditionelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar is a truly groundbreaking feat of watchmaking and is sure to be the talk of the 2019 SIHH fair.
(Photography by Liam O'Donnell)
Visit Vacheron Constantin's Partner Page
Retrospective: The Historic Timepieces That Inspired Vacheron Constantin's Cornes De Vache
By Sophie Furley
, Contributor
Watchonista gets a sneak peek at Vacheron Constantin's historic collection of chronographs to see how this much-loved complication has evolved from 1819...
Reaching The Summit: The Unbelievably True Story Of Cory Richards And His Prototype Vacheron Constantin Dual Time
By Josh Shanks
, Contributor
National Geographic photographer Cory Richard’s inspiring story of perseverance and adventure. A journey that took him from homelessness to the top of...
