And now, as the collection enters online stores and boutiques worldwide – among them mrporter.com and Harrods –  the Fiftysix has stepped into the realm of connoisseur with the introduction of the Tourbillon. A model that will be formally launched in Vacheron Constantin boutiques in January 2019, the Fiftysix Tourbillon will make its global debut on 11 September at a press call held at London’s Abbey Road Studios, celebrating the announcement that Vacheron is now the official timing partner of the music mecca made famous in the 1960s by the Beatles.

Laurent Perves, Vacheron Constantin’s Chief Marketing Officer, says of the pair: “Their work and ours is transcending objects in order to generate emotion. This is the first stage in a broader project involving creative cooperation. These human and artistic encounters are undeniably in line with those that have punctuated the history of the maison since 1755.”

Flying High

Speaking of the decision to bring the lauded tourbillon “complication” to the table so early on in the collection’s lifespan, Vacheron’s Heritage and Style Director Christian Selmoni said: “With Fiftysix, we wanted to establish a pillar collection, so it was important to demonstrates that the design concept of the Ffitysix can be extended to high complications, too. It definitely has not come too early – it makes perfect sense to have it now, as all of our other pillar collections cover product segments from simple watches to the very complicated.

Vacheron’s CEO, Louis Ferla, continues: “The watch industry represents over one billion watches per year, of which only 25 million are produced in Switzerland and barely 500,000 can lay claim to Fine Watchmaking status. Within an already highly exclusive segment, our maison is committed to maintaining a unique and sophisticated character. In this respect, we are resolutely ‘One of not many’.”

Code Makers

Ultra-slim at under 6mm thick, thanks to the gold peripheral rotor, the 188-component manufacture Calibre 2160 movement has a frequency of 2.5Hz. A signature of the Fiftysix collection, the watch features a two-tone opaline-sunburst dial that is a signature of the collection. The alternating Arabic numerals, hour markers and hours, minutes and seconds hands are all in 5N pink gold, highlighted by blue luminescent material. The large cut-out on the dial, frames the tourbillon to perfection, showcasing the complexity and beautiful decoration on the tourbillon carriage, which takes the form of a the maison’s Maltese Cross emblem.