Every year, we get something like closure by racking our brains over, what else, the Revolution Awards. To grease our ruminations, this year we have also created a few categories to be decided by the public. Join us as we unveil an Award Winner every day, counting down to the New Year.
Revolutionary Watch of the Year
Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar
One pivotal question we ask ourselves when choosing the Revolutionary Watch of the Year is not only whether the nominated watch is an incredible feat of watchmaking. It also needs to represent a real breakthrough in the world of horology. The Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar ticked all the boxes.
The perpetual calendar is possibly one of the most useful complications in mechanical watchmaking, but it has one major flaw. If the watch stops, it is a nightmare to reset its many indications. Finding the perfect oscillator was a problem. A bigger, high-frequency oscillator can improve precision, but results in a bulkier timepiece. On the other hand, having a lower-frequency balance compromises the performance of the timepiece.
Vacheron Constantin’s solution sounds simple on paper. Why not have two oscillators? The wearer can switch between the Active mode, where the watch runs on a higher 5 Hz beat, and a Standby mode, where the watch runs on a lower 1.2 Hz beat, thereby extending the power reserve up to a mind-blowing 65 days. That’s more than two months. You can wind the watch just six times a year, or once every two months, and have it still keep perfectly accurate time and calendar functions.
The mechanism is a stroke of genius and it really shows Vacheron Constantin taking into consideration how collectors intend to use the timepiece. Not only that, the timepiece is beautiful, with an impeccable level of craftsmanship front and back.
