Vacheron Constantin celebrates its 20-year legacy with a solid gold watch

Vacheron Constantin is the oldest watch company in Switzerland and, alongside Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, an arm of the so-called “Holy Trinity” of elite brands. It has more history than any other brand and stands for traditional, classic watchmaking. However, Vacheron has explored many creative sides in the recent past. From a watch with a perfumed bracelet (a collaboration with French perfumer Dominique Ropion) to a bespoke series of watch faces decorated with detailed miniature paintings of masterpieces, the company has shown a lot of creativity on the Metiers side in recent years . At its core, however, the brand remains essentially a master of the elegant, classic and perfectly crafted dress watch. It’s 20^Th The Anniversary Patrimony series reminds us of this essential core value.

The classic aesthetic has a subtle twist that makes it relevant to the moment, even when looking back to the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, the golden age of watch design. The anniversary patrimony is yellow gold, a trend so strong right now that you’d think it was 1975 all over again. Piaget, for example, introduced an all-gold version of its Polo, first launched in 1979, to much fanfare earlier this year. Watches with solid gold cases and bracelets are everywhere, from new launches to auction catalogs for upcoming fall sales. The Vacheron touch comes courtesy of French designer, architect and Vacheron ambassador Ora ïto, with whom Vacheron collaborated for the anniversary Patrimony. He designed the dial as a series of concentric circles in a gold tone-on-tone grooved pattern, punctuated by a gold bead chapter ring for minute markers and applied gold indices. A monotone dial has never been more exciting and subtle at the same time. The burgundy calfskin strap features a raised pattern of rectangular shapes with softened angles that enhance the watch’s vintage character. Inspired by graphic motifs from the 1970s, it is designed to contrast with the circular geometry of the case and dial.

Originally launched in 2004, the Patrimony was inspired by a Vacheron design from 1957, but the new anniversary piece is very much a piece of the moment, even if the current lust for gold is itself a retro trend. Decades of influences testify to the enduring appeal of classic design. The 20th^Th Anniversary Patrimony is a limited edition of 100 pieces priced at $35,300.