Luxury watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has just added a new category to its repertoire: a collection of sports performance watches. The brand has unveiled two 150-piece limited-edition Overseas Everest watches, the Overseas Everest Chronograph and Overseas Everest Dual Time, inspired by the one-of-a-kind prototype once worn by the American explorer and photographer Cory Richards on his Everest climb in 2019. Celebrating the world’s highest peak, the Overseas Chronograph Everest and Overseas Dual Time Everest timepieces celebrate adventure and overcoming obstacles.
Both watches can be recognized by Vacheron Constantin’s renowned six-sided bezel evoking the Maltese cross and feature in-house movements. The chronograph model is equipped with self-winding Calibre 5200/2, while the dual time model opts for self-winding Calibre 5110 DT/2. “[In] the movements, I see the countless hours of dedication required to bring any goal to life,” Richards comments. “I see the time given. I see my life reflected back at me through minutes and seconds, and I am reminded that there is still a road ahead and an unfolding of countless journeys yet to come.”
The light and versatile Vacheron Constantin Overseas Everest Chronograph has a 42.5mm case featuring a contrasting combination of titanium and stainless steel, while its harmonious dial composition ensures optimal legibility of the chronograph indications, particularly thanks to the bright orange color of its central chronograph hand. Its twin-barrel in-house movement is fitted with a column-wheel orchestrating the chronograph function’s start, stop, and reset operations. This accurate and reliable mechanism also features a vertical clutch to prevent any potential hand stuttering when the chronograph is started. The NAC treatment on the baseplate echoes the anthracite grey shades of this model, while the 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight bears an engraving of Mount Everest based on a photograph taken by Cory Richards during one of his expeditions to the Himalayan summit.
At the heart of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Everest’s 41mm case, carved from a combination of titanium and stainless steel, the watch’s in-house self-winding 5110 DT/2 movement enables simultaneous reading of two time zones. In addition to the classic local-time indications, an arrow-tipped fourth orange hand displays the original (home) time, coupled with a matching-colored day/night indicator. The pointer-type date display at 6 o’clock is synchronized with local time, which can be adjusted by a dedicated pusher. The two time zones at 12 o’clock can be corrected by turning the crown in either direction. Visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, the anthracite grey NAC treatment on the baseplate gives the movement a decidedly contemporary character. As with the Chronograph, there is a 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight that is adorned with an engraving of Mount Everest inspired by a photograph taken by Cory Richards. Both watches are paired with a self-interchangeable rubber or a Cordura strap lined with nubuck calfskin.
For more on Vacheron Constantin, check out the brand’s New York City Flagship Boutique.