While the 41-complication Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication got most of the headlines, the watchmaker had other watches worthy of attention at Watches and Wonders 2025. The Traditionnelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar reflects the company's reputation for building some of the best timepieces on the planet.
Vacheron also happened to have other fine timepieces (also from the Traditionnelle collection but based on existing watches) like the Traditionelle Complete Calendar Openface and the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date Openface on display, but we'll look at this tourbillon plus perpetual calendar watch in this article.
Presented in a 42 mm 950 platinum case with a platinum folding buckle, the timepiece brings together two of watchmaking's most esteemed complications - the ever-impressive tourbillon and the perpetual calendar - within a slim profile.
A defining feature of the new watch is its elegant proportions, made possible by the new Calibre 2162 QP/270, developed and manufactured in-house. Measuring only 6.55 mm in thickness, the self-winding movement is equipped with a peripheral oscillating weight, facilitating the caliber's thinness and ensuring a 72-hour power reserve.
While it's hard to be impressed by this thickness given Bulgari's Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon's eye-watering 1.85mm, it's still respectable given the multiple complications. The low-frequency 2.5 Hz reminiscent of classic pocket watches adds a poetic dimension, allowing the eye to better appreciate the tourbillon's oscillation and the complex arrangement of the perpetual calendar.
Based on the 2018 Calibre 2160 tourbillon, this new movement has been re-engineered by Vacheron Constantin's watchmakers to integrate the perpetual calendar without compromising on thickness. The result is a mechanism that displays the day, date, month, and leap year cycle.
The caliber also incorporates a patented secure drive system, allowing the perpetual calendar to be adjusted in either direction without damaging the movement. That's an advancement that's technical and practical. Certainly, something all perpetual calendar fans will appreciate.
The dial, crafted in 18K gold hand-guilloché silver-toned with an anniversary motif, reinforces the anniversary's theme of heritage and artistic savoir-faire. The intricate motif draws inspiration from the Maltese cross - a symbol of Vacheron Constantin since 1880 - and recalls elements found on the dial of the Reference 6068, created for the brand's bicentenary in 1955.
The pattern is exclusive to this anniversary edition. It delivers a refined visual signature that plays with light and texture and complements the Traditionnelle collection's classic fluted case, dauphine hands, and chemin de fer minutes track.
Visible through the sapphire caseback, the Calibre 2162 QP/270 reveals technical complexity and a special "270th-anniversary" engraving. The rare "côte unique" finish on the bridges distinguishes this movement as a commemorative piece. First used over a century ago and rediscovered by Vacheron Constantin in 2021, the 'côte unique' decoration requires extreme precision, combining traditional hand-finishing with careful machining.
The Traditionnelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar embodies the very essence of Genevan Haute Horlogerie - timeless in design, technically accomplished, and deeply rooted in artisanal tradition. It serves as a tribute to Vacheron Constantin's 270-year legacy of making exceptional timepieces.
