Why We Love It

The Holy Trinity of watch brands: Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin.

Far less understood than either of its respected compatriots, Vacheron Constantin has a legacy of producing some of the very finest high horology complications in history - and some of the loveliest.

Sports watches came later to VC, as pressure from the new 'Sports Luxury' category introduced in the early 1970s forced the storied brand to evolve. Their entry came in the form of the Reference 222, from which the design language was inspiration for the current Overseas collection. 

The Overseas models compete with other watches such as the Patek Philippe Nautilus, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, IWC Ingenieur, and Piaget Polo in the category of 'freshest take on 1970s sport icons', and often finds itself winning its category in terms of design, value, and variety of complications.

This particular example, an Overseas Reference 42042/423J-8726, is sized at 37mm, the perfect size for a wide range of wrist sizes. Dating to the late 1990s, this early Overseas features a solid 18k yellow gold case with an integrated style bracelet, stylized bezel, date complication, and a beautiful silver 'woven texture' dial with Tritium luminous plots.

This is a rare opportunity to snag a precious metal in-demand model from one of the very best in the business!

The Story

Few manufactures can claim a lineage as long or as rich as Vacheron Constantin. Established in 1755, the manufacture soon made a reputation for the elegance of its products, producing pocket watches with complicated movements and engine-turned dials. Even today, these are marks of a manufacture’s expertise, due to the skill and precision involved in crafting them, so for Vacheron Constantin to have achieved this in the eighteenth century is quite an impressive feat.

This expertise carried them through the 19th century, earning gold medals at National Exhibitions and blazing trails in the area of anti-magnetic timepieces. The 20th century saw further achievements, such as the opening of its boutique on the Quai de L’Ile in Geneva, where it still resides today.

Even through the Depression and the Second World War, when many watch companies were forced to band together with competitors or else face closure, the manufacture continued to thrive—as it does to this day.