00/24 WatchWorld

Overskriften siger det hele. Jeg vil eje dette Vacheron Constantin Contemporaine Patrimony af rødguld med det slanke kaliber 4400 inhouseværk fra verdens ældste urfabrikant (ihvertflad når det kommer til uafbrudt produktion af ure). Kassediameter er 43 millimeter og ser ud til at være et ur, der passer selv de mest stramme lommer i dine bukser (hvis det ellers er i de lommer, du vil bære et lommeur).

This headline tells it all. I want this Vacheron Constantin Contemporaine Patrimony pocketwatch of rosegold. Fitted with a slender caliber 4400 inhouse movement from the oldest manufacturer in Switzerland (at least in terms of continuous production) and measuring 43 in diameter this watch is something my pockets would love to carry around.

Kristian Haagen: "Don't own this Vacheron Constantin Overseas "Gray" Chronograph any longer. But had great fun taking pictures of it when it was in my collection. Aloha!"

I almost went into the lady's restroom earlier on today. Not because I was drunk, but because I feel somewhat sissified by all the women's watches being presented this year. Audemars Piguet is big on female versions of otherwise masculine Offshores, Baume & Mercier is all about women's fashion and Vacheron Constantin opened their presentation by claiming that 2013 is all about watches for the beautiful gender.

During Sotheby’s two-session sale of ‘Important Watches’ in Geneva this month, 83.4% was sold by lot and 87.4% by value. The total result was CHF 7,950,900 (€ 8,373,411). The highlight was a Patek Philippe Ref. 2524/1. The movement of this minute repeater was made in 1954 and it was cased in 1961 in a yellow gold case. The white dial bears the usual words Patek Philippe and Genève, but also Tiffany & Co, making this a unique piece. The watch was sold to a telephone bidder for CHF 542,500, more than double its pre-sale estimate.

I recently purchased a wonderful Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time. I know, I know. It´s not a watch for everyone, since the dial layout is admittedly somewhat...erhm...different. The power reserve is quite large, where as the secondary timezone is rather small, but not as small as the tiny AM/PM indicator. The date is maneuvered not my the crown but by the screwed in pusher on the upper right part of the case. It´s all a bit weird and odd – and I love it!

Vacheron Constantin did it again. Made me drool. This time with their incredibly handsome new Overseas of pinkgold with perpetual calendar and chronograph. The watch for the gadget freak (who also happens to like gold). And what guy in the world does not like gadgets? What guy (at least of my age) did not switch off all the lights to watch the stereo equalizer lights? That is the kind of guy who would also love this watch (I think).

The pictures on the internet were rather appealing and I had no doubts when I pressed "Book now" prior to yet another visit to wonderful Firenze in Italy. Of course I had to stay at Hotel L’Orologio. A wonderful hotel overlooking Piazza Santa Maria Novella and the spectacular church that named the piazza. However it was neither piazza nor church that convinced me about the hotel. It was the many hrological pictures and themes of the hotel that made me book this hotel.

Watchprint, a Swiss publisher of publications on jewellery and watches, has published a new book, titled ‘Caliber 2755’, with as subtitle ‘Vacheron Constantin’, the maker of this famous caliber. The book tells the story of Caliber 2755, which features a minute repeater, a tourbillon and a perpetual calendar: its development and the emotions of the watchmakers who made it. Of course, the caliber is described in detail. The book, written by Alexandre Ghotbi, is available in French and English, measures 34.5 x 32 cm and has 106 pages and colour illustrations. The price is € 58.00 or CHF 69.00. It can be ordered from Watchprint, based in La Croix-sur-Lutry (near Lausanne).

A couple of weeks ago, in what used to be the Harrods pizzeria, the department store opened its new Fine Watch Room – according to Harrods, the biggest dedicated watch salesroom in Europe. So terribly, terribly posh is the room – which is fringed with mini-boutiques from the likes of Vacheron Constantin, Brequet, IWC and Richard Mille among others – that taking photographs is absolutely forbidden.