Time is asymmetrical (at least, to us poor mortals who must perforce follow its apparently irreversible arrow) so why shouldn’t a watch be asymmetrical too?  In 1972, Vacheron Constantin introduced a watch with a lozenge shaped, asymmetrical case that combined old-school codes of slimness and simplicity with a jazzy, modern silhouette that became a major hit for the world’s oldest watch company (proving, as Vacheron often has, that you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks –or that it can make them up on its own.)

The design was created in celebration of the award to the company of the Prestige de la France award, and though  the collection’s consisted almost exclusively of ladies’ models in recent years, the dimensions of this limited edition make it a great choice for men of style (and substance, needless to say) who want something a little different.

The new version, like the original, has the symbol of the Prix du Prestige de la France engraved on the case-back, and is now the largest watch in the 1972 collection, at 47x25mm.  Inside is the ultra-thin hand wound calibre 1003, –it’s the latest version from Vacheron, which debuted in the 1957 Historiques Ultra-Fine 1955; at 1.64mm it’s the thinnest mechanical watch movement in the world, in any category, in current production.  A little inside info for fans of horological classicism –the ratio between the longer side of the case, and the length of the sapphire crystal on the opposite side, equals the Golden Ratio.

The watch launches in two versions, both in white gold: a limited edition of 40, with a silver dial and hands, and black strap, to celebrate the opening of the firm’s newest boutique, in Paris at no. 2, Rue de la Paix; and a non-limited version with gold hands and a grey, sunray-finished dial on a brown strap.  We couldn’t be happier to see that men will once again have the opportunity to enjoy this distinctive and distinguished design.