Vacheron Constantin’s latest release marks a significant step in expanding the technical range of its sport-luxury Overseas line. For the first time, the collection features a minute repeater, one of the most intricate complications in mechanical watchmaking, integrated into a design known for its modern versatility. Named the Overseas Grand Complication Openface, the new model brings together mechanical depth and contemporary aesthetics in a way that aligns with the brand’s evolving vision.
The timepiece is powered by Calibre 2755 QP, a movement that packs a tourbillon, a perpetual calendar, a power reserve indicator and a minute repeater into a calibre that’s just 7.9 mm thick. Despite its complexity, the model retains a sporty edge, presented in a grade 5 titanium case with a matching integrated bracelet. Measuring 44.5 mm in diameter and 13.1 mm thick, the proportions aim to balance mechanical sophistication with wearability.
The movement inside is not new to Vacheron Constantin’s workshop. It draws on developments made for the Tour de l’Île watch launched in 2005 and houses 602 components. The perpetual calendar is engineered to remain accurate until the year 2100, automatically adjusting for leap years, months, and dates. A tourbillon oscillating at 18,000 vibrations per hour gives a slow, visible rhythm to the dial, while a silent centripetal regulator manages the striking sequence of the minute repeater.
This regulator isn’t just a functional piece, it has been given a visible role through the transparent sapphire caseback. An arc-shaped bar, made of 18K gold and hand-polished over a full day, secures the centrifugal weights. The weights are engraved with the initials of Jean-Marc Vacheron, a nod to the brand’s founding year of 1755. Every component, repeater hammers, bridges, wheels, has been hand-finished, incorporating satin brushing, beveling, polishing and Côtes de Genève striping.
The model’s Openface construction brings much of this internal drama to the dial side. Crafted from transparent sapphire, the dial exposes the movement’s bridges and wheels, contrasting anthracite grey NAC-treated surfaces with rhodium-plated components. Applied white gold hour-markers appear suspended in mid-air, while the calendar and time indicators are framed in blue metallised circles with engraved white markings.
Though Vacheron Constantin has explored the Openface format before, in pieces like the Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar Openface (2019) and the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface (2023), this execution is especially demanding. Open dials require careful surface treatments to preserve visual clarity and technical consistency. Delicate machining is needed for the sapphire elements to display functions, and maintaining coherence between front and back visibility makes the design process more complex.
Maintaining water resistance with a minute repeater is another challenge. The sliding trigger that activates the chimes generally comprises water-tightness. Vacheron Constantin’s engineers spent over a year redesigning the caseback to accommodate the complication without losing the Overseas collection’s athletic lines or water resistance.
The bezel has been finished with a mix of sandblasting, polishing, and satin brushing, a new approach introduced for titanium-cased models in the Overseas collection. The watch also comes with interchangeable straps in blue alligator leather and blue rubber. Its titanium bracelet has been equipped with a comfort adjustment system, which makes it more adaptable for everyday wear, despite the level of complexity within the case.
The Overseas Grand Complication Openface shows how Vacheron Constantin is adapting to changing expectations, bringing high complications into a format that fits today’s more dynamic way of living. By placing a minute repeater, perpetual calendar, and tourbillon into a sportier design, the brand keeps long-time collectors interested while also appealing to younger buyers who want technical depth without giving up everyday wearability. It’s a way to bridge tradition and modern life without losing the essence of what makes the watch special.
