Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph Now In A Panda Dial : Sporty-chic in two-tone

With the launch of the very first chronographs in 1999, Vacheron Constantin made Overseas watches the symbol of horological desire and pleasure. Over the years we have seen numerous variants of this watch - a steel version, a pink gold version, blue dials, brown dials and so. Deftly mingling character and elegance, the Overseas chronograph has thus left an indelible imprint on the history of the Maison with its characteristic six-sided bezel, its selfwinding in-house movement and its unmistakable visual signature.

"Since their creation more than 20 years ago, Overseas chronographs have always been synonymous with exploration for the Manufacture," explains Style & Heritage Director Christian Selmoni. "These versatile timepieces combine the spirit of Haute Horlogerie characterising Vacheron Constantin with the refined sporting elegance suggested by the chronograph function. In a way, the Overseas chronographs have always marked, for the Manufacture, a desire for controlled yet subtly disruptive breakthroughs, a desire to explore other watchmaking territories and to experiment with new creative fields."

This year the Overseas welcomes the Panda, a chronograph in a new steel "panda" version. A silver-toned, sunburst satin-finished dial, snailed black counters, black velvet finished flange, white gold hour-markers and hours, minutes, seconds and counters hands, highlighted with Super-LumiNova®.

What's new?

Well technically speaking it is the same watch with the same movement but as you can see the face of the dial makes all the difference and the Panda dial, ii executed well is most certainly a relatively desired one.

The light-dark contrast ensures enhanced visibility and highlights the chronograph indications. The two-tone outline conveys a distinctive style reinforced by its three interchangeable bracelet/ straps enabling you to change style in a few seconds without any tools as such - from a steel bracelet with half-Maltese cross links to a calfskin or black rubber strap.

The new Overseas Chronograph Panda, houses calibre 5200, featuring a 22K gold oscillating weight adorned with a wind rose, visible through a sapphire caseback. The movement also has a twin barrel fitted with a column wheel complete with a Maltese cross-shaped screw and used to control the start-stop-reset chronograph function. In addition, this reliable and accurate mechanism is endowed with a vertical clutch to prevent any possible jerking of the hands when starting the chronograph.

Christian Selmoni Speaks…

What spirit does the new Overseas "panda" chronograph convey?

It is synonymous with exploration by combining Vacheron Constantin’s innate spirit of Haute Horlogerie with the refined sporting elegance suggested by its short-time measurement function. It signals the legitimacy of the sporty elegance concept in Haute Horlogerie.

What are the roots of this new Overseas chronograph?

The Overseas collection was born in 1996 with self-winding models that some regard as heirs to the famous 222 model launched in 1977. Recognisable by its notched six-sided Maltese Crossshaped bezel and its integrated bracelet with geometrically shaped links, the Overseas has been the quintessential elegant sports watch by Vacheron Constantin since its birth. This new chronograph is its worthy descendant.

The Overseas "panda" chronograph opts for modularity; is this driven by desire to be in tune with the times?
For Vacheron Constantin, Overseas watches express a desire for exploration across all territories: they are elegant, endowed with a strong personality and adaptable to every situation via the interchangeability system. This new model can thus be fitted with a steel bracelet for a casual look, a leather strap for a dressier style, or a black rubber version for sportier wear.

To sum it up the new Overseas Chronograph Panda unites the sporty character of the collection with its versatile temperament thanks to an interchangeable system for the three bracelet/straps supplied with the watch. In addition to the highly distinctive aesthetic, the technical performance of in-house Calibre 5200, equipped with a twin barrel, is enhanced by a column wheel serving to start, stop and reset the chronograph function. Same movement but a brand new Overseas...

TECHNICAL DATA
Overseas chronograph Reference 5500V/110A-B686

Calibre

• 5200 Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin Mechanical, self-winding
• 22K gold Overseas oscillating weight
• 30.6 mm (13¼’’’) diameter, 6.6 mm thick
• Approximately 52 hours of power reserve
• 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
• Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
• Indications Hours and minutes
• Small seconds at 9 o’clock
• Date
• Column-wheel chronograph (30-minute and 12-hour counters)

• Stainless steel
• 42.5 mm diameter, 13.7 mm thick
• Soft iron casing ring ensuring anti-magnetic protection
• Screwed-down crown and quarter-turn screw-lock push-pieces
• Transparent sapphire crystal caseback
• Water-resistant tested at a pressure of 15 bar (approx. 150 metres)

• Silver-toned, sunburst satin-finished base, translucent varnish
• Black velvet-finished flange and snailed counters
• 18K white gold hour-markers and hours, minutes, seconds and counters hands, highlighted with Super-LumiNova®

• Steel bracelet, half Maltese cross-shaped polished and satin-brushed links
• Additional straps Black calfskin leather with grey stitching
• Black rubber

• Stainless steel bracelet secured by a stainless steel triple-blade folding clasp with push-pieces and comfort-adjustment system
• Delivered with a stainless steel triple-blade folding clasp with push-pieces and patented interchangeable system compatible with both additional straps