Introducing 2 new Vacheron Constantin Malte, the Malte Moon Phase and Power Reserve & Malte Tourbillon Openworked in pink gold

Vacheron Constantin, a manufacture nearly as old as the concept of Swiss watchmaking (260 years of continuous activity… no less), is also a sort of father for the barrel-shaped watches known as “tonneau” cases, a now popular shape that they introduced first in their collection in 1912. This style, strongly inspired by Art-Deco spirit, is both extremely traditional and far from the classical round cases, giving it a certain “old elegance”. This is expressed in the collection with the Vacheron Constantin Malte, which, this years, receives two new iteration, the Malte Tourbillon Openworked now in pink gold and the brand new Malte Moon Phase and Power Reserve.

The Vacheron Constantin Malte Moon Phase and Power Reserve

The first of the two is a proper novelty, as until now, the Vacheron Constantin Malte only had a small second version or highly precious tourbillons. This year, VC adds a interesting edition, with just the right amount of complication to be attractive but to stay accessible to mere mortals. The overall concept of the Malte collection is kept of course, with a barrel / tonneau shaped case, relatively long (48.10mm) but rather slender, as being 36.10mm large and 10.49mm thick. The beauty of this watch is clearly in the proportions and in the style once strapped on the wrist. The case back is flat but the casebands and lugs are curved, meaning it perfectly follows the curve of the wrist. This watch is long, but thin and svelte. Of course, such a shape is rather unique and not to everyone’s tastes but it remain extremely elegant.

The novelty sits in the movement used and in the display. Based on the Calibre 1410, it shows a small second at 6 and, with a certain originality, the moon phase indication between 8 and 9 and the power reserve gauge between 10 and 11. The movement is of course finished with great care and adorned with the Hallmark of Geneva – internal angles, polished chamfers, hand finished wheel spokes, Geneva stripes… worthy of the brand’s heritage.

The Vacheron Constantin Malte Moon Phase and Power Reserve will first be offered in 18 pink gold with a brown alligator strap. The dial, classical for the Malte collection, is silvery-white with a sand-blasted finish and large, also Art-Deco inspired, applied indexes in gold – mixing batons and large, stylized Roman numerals.

Specifications of the Vacheron Constantin Malte Moon Phase and Power Reserve

• Case: 36.70mm x 48.10mm x 10.49mm – 18k pink gold – sapphire crystal on front – 30m water resistant
• Movement: Calibre 1410 AS – manual winding – 40h power reserve – 28,800 vibrations/h – hours, minutes, small seconds, moon phase, power reserve
• Strap: brown alligator leather strap with half Maltese cross-shaped folding clasp in gold

The Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon Openworked in pink gold

The second watch introduced by Vacheron Constantin is a new iteration of the Malte collection’s flagship, the Tourbillon Openworked, a watch first introduced in platinum at the SIHH 2014, as we reported. This Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon Openworked is the testimony of Vacheron’s capacities, both in terms of pure watchmaking and for métiers d’art. First of all, this watch has a shaped movement, following the curves of the case, and featuring a large one-minute tourbillon at 6, enclosed in the brand’s typical Malte cross tourbillon cage. The display of the time, elegantly placed in the upper part of the watch, is accompanied with a date indication, in the upper right angle, and a power reserve discreetly placed at 10. This movement ticks at 2.5 Hz (18’000 vibrations/hour) and boasts 45 hours of power reserve when fully wound.

The second specificity holds in the impressive skeletonized work done on the plates and bridges, and on the finishing. Every single part sees its shape transformed and lightened to allow light to enter in the movement. Then, the 246 parts are all finished, engraved, polished or grained, something that requires over 540 hours of patience to trained watchmakers.

The novelty this years is in the material chose for the case. Retaining its proportions and barrel shape, it now replaces platinum by 18k pink gold, a finish that is also applied to the movement (via a gold coating). The case, slightly larger and thicker than the moon and power reserve edition (due to the impressive movement), is complemented by a brown alligator strap. The first edition in platinum was cold and grey, this new pink gold edition is warm and shiny. Being a skeletonized watch, it has no dial, to the exception of an inner flange used to display the minutes and hours, however the signature XII in gold is retained.

Specifications of the Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon Openworked pink gold

• Case: 38mm x 48.24mm x 12.73mm – 18k pink gold – sapphire crystal on front and back – 30m water resistant
• Movement: Calibre 2790 SQ – manual winding – 45h power reserve – 18,800 vibrations/h – hours, minutes, one-minute tourbillon, date, power reserve
• Strap: brown alligator leather strap with half Maltese cross-shaped folding clasp in gold