Vacheron Constantin has had, by all accounts, a banner year defined by what I think most would categorize as “heavy hitters,” a watch media term of art that implies a certain combination of hype and watchmaking maximalism. January, of course, saw the release of the long awaited and much discussed 222 in steel, and they followed that up in April at Watches & Wonders with the Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, which holds the belt, at the moment, for the most complicated wristwatch in the world. There was also a 550 pound clock with an automaton at its center (and 23 complications in total) as well as one of the sportier minute repeaters we’ve seen in a bit. Like I said, lots of big swings this year.
But Vacheron is closing 2025 in a far more understated way, and this latest release is perhaps my favorite thing I’ve seen from the brand this year. It’s certainly among the most approachable watches they’ve debuted, although that’s a relative term and the new Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin is very expensive by any metric (they start at an even $100,000). But in terms of what this watch actually represents, it feels like the most classic distillation of what Vacheron is really about.
This is, very simply, a modest, medium sized perpetual calendar is a surprisingly thin and wearable case. Measuring at 36.5mm in diameter and 8.43mm tall, the Traditionelle Perpetual seen here represents the first time this case size has been used for non gem set watches in the QP format. The new pieces feel like a vintage watch on the wrist in the best possible way, and are a reminder of how sizes for traditional watches like this have ballooned over the years. Even now, long past the “big watch” era, it’s surprisingly tough to find a perpetual calendar in this classic, medium size. A quick survey of the Patek Philippe website reveals no perpetual calendars under 38mm that aren’t explicitly aimed at the ladies market. And this is a brand that in many ways established itself on the strength of this complication specifically. It’s a little strange that even as the design of the watches themselves evoke a certain timeless quality, the case proportions are very contemporary.
Back to the Vacheron, the new Traditionalle Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin is available in three variants: pink gold, white gold, and a new diamond set white gold option. All are powered by the vaunted 1120 QP caliber, an automatic movement with the calendar functions displayed across subdials at 12, 3, and 9, with a moonphase complication at 6:00. What struck me immediately about these new pieces is that proportions of the case and dial relative to the case all feel exactly right. The great benefit of a smaller case size, of course, is that the subdials can be clustered more closely together, which to me is a better look (most of the time) than excess negative space created by a case that’s too big for the caliber inside of it. There are exceptions that I’m sure we can all list, and this is completely subjective anyway, but these dials feel remarkably well balanced to my eye.
Of the three variants, the pink gold is probably my personal favorite.The tone of this particular pink gold alloy is quite light, which I think works well. The Vacheron team told me that owners can expect the pink gold to patina softly over time, darkening over the years. It kind of reinforces the idea that a watch like this is truly an heirloom, further underlining the notion that a 36.5mm case is timeless and will always look correct. The diamond set piece is also quite beautiful if a little ostentatious (very much not the vibe of the other two pieces), but that just reinforces the versatility of a case this size.
This release is not likely to see the kind of media and enthusiast attention that Vacheron’s earlier novelties this year have, but as a quiet line extension, it really works. Vacheron was smart to see that there’s a real lack of options for medium sized perpetuals from the big marquee brands, so they’re filling a void here that will almost certainly find an enthusiastic if relatively small audience. But that’s OK – Vacheron Constantin has been around for 270 years, and they didn’t come this far by adopting trends and leaning into hype at all costs. The new Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin is the antithesis of that, and a huge part of its appeal. Vacheron Constantin
Zach Kazan
2025-12-02 19:00:00