Vacheron Constantin 18k Rose Gold Automatic World Time
Model: Traditionelle World Time
Ref: 86060/000R-9640
Cal 2640 WT automatic movement, 27 jewels, silvered dial, outer ring with minute divisions and applied baton numerals, inner ring for 24-hour indication, center seconds, inner ring with names of 37 world cities and map of northern hemisphere, circular case, downturned lugs, display back secured by six screws.
18k pink gold Vacheron Constantin deployante buckle,
42.5mm
Condition: Watch is in Like New Condition
More about Vacheron Constantin:
It is well known that in the early 1930s Louis Cottier designed a world time movement, a complication that had been attempted by others before, but was not produced in such a user-friendly way. Cottier’s version showed the home time with central hour and minutes hand, a 24-hour ring, and an outer ring that had the names of various world cities. The wearer would rotate the city ring so their current city was located at 12 o’clock, and the wearer would also be able to see the correct time for every time zone in the world.
Vacheron Constantin first used Cottier’s movement in 1932, supplying him with a caliber that he then modified to contain his world time mechanism. Over the next few years, Vacheron Constantin would occasionally produce a world time watch for a special client. In the mid-1950s, a client requested the brand’s first world time wristwatch, which featured an automatic movement and an inner rotating bezel that was activated through a pusher in the band.
In the early 1990’s, Vacheron Constantin launched their first production world time wristwatch, as part of the Phidias line, but then discontinued the model a few years later. A few limited edition models were produced for specific markets following that, but finally in 2011 launched the Patrimony Traditionnelle World Time.
The Traditionelle World Time was unusual in that it indicated full hour time zones, as well as those that fell in between, at 30 and 45 minutes – showing a total of 37 time zones. The dial also features a Lambert projection map, which minimizes distortion that occurs when showing a 3-D surface (like that of the earth) on a 2-D surface. Half of the sapphire crystal is tinted blue, and rotates to show which part of the world is experiencing night.
In keeping with Cottier’s original world time movement, the Traditionelle is very user-friendly, and features contemporary design that is very appealing to the wearer. The present example is like new and perfect for the modern world traveler.