We will not hide that for us this brand is one of the most beloved, and we always approach every offer that reaches us with excitement and hidden emotion. It is no coincidence that today, only for the second time, we have the pleasure of writing about one of its representatives – simply because until now, all the watches that reached us changed ownership very quickly and we did not manage to give them the attention they deserved. Audemars Piguet has its Royal Oak, Patek Philippe has its Nautilus, and at Vacheron Constantin the honour of playing the role of the “sporty player” in the collection falls precisely to the Overseas. And while a great deal has been written about the first two, and all kinds of known and unknown experts, enthusiasts and simple “journalists” have practised describing the histories of the models and their virtues, much less has been written about this “saint”, and in this way it remains overshadowed. Unlike the Royal Oak and Nautilus, Gérald Genta did not have a hand in creating its spiritual predecessor, the 222. What a surprise? The name of its creator, however, is no less well known – Jörg Hysek, who created quite a few remarkable models from the end of the 20th century. Let us take a closer look at this luxurious “overseas foreigner” and “see what it is all about”.
Most models in the Overseas line have a fresh, textured dial with distinct shapes and excellent legibility – and this one is exactly that, in the clean white version. Also, around the edge of the crystal there is a bezel with a characteristic shape inspired by the Maltese cross from the brand’s logo. All of this is inspired by the remarkable ancestor of all Overseas models – the 222. The same Maltese cross motif is also used in the design of the bracelet links – as a result, not only is the appearance different, but the bracelet itself is recognised as one of the most comfortable watch bracelets overall. The model presented today is part of the second generation of the Overseas – which began its life in 2004 and continued until 2016.
In 2016, Vacheron Constantin launched a new, more modern Overseas series, and this immediately provoked numerous debates and discussions, but one thing is beyond doubt – the model presented today will never again be produced in this form, and this makes it even more attractive.
At the heart of the watch beats the automatic Vacheron Constantin Calibre 1137 – based on the Frédéric Piguet 1185, modified and finished by Vacheron Constantin, composed of 183 parts and 37 jewels, operating at a gentle frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour and with a power reserve of around 40 hours. The rotor is crowned with a segment of 21-carat gold – but do not think that its purpose is merely artistic. No, the manufacturer pursued purely technical goals, and gold was used because of its relative weight; precisely for this reason it appears in the comparatively uncommon 21-carat purity.
