Introducing: grie C An Entirely New Ladies Collection From Vacheron Constantin

February 17, 2020

2003 was a big year. Chicago won the Oscar for Best Picture (don't get James Stacey started), the Concorde took its last flight, the final VW Beetle was produced (the old one), Arnold Schwarzenegger became Governor of California, and Vacheron Constantin released its last ladies-only dedicated watch collection. This collection of watches was called grie and focused on a simple tonneau-shaped watch. Fast forward to today, and we have the second iteration of the grie (which means "muse") collection featuring a totally new design. This women's-only collection is designed around the complexities of haute horlogerie and haute couture (high-end, handmade clothing). grie features details such as a fan-textured dial, off-center crown, date window or moonphase, Breguet(ish) numerals, and of course, diamonds. First, you have the self-winding model (35mm), followed by the moonphase model (37mm), and finally a moonphase with pav diamonds (37mm). The self-winding and the moonphase are available in stainless steel or pink gold, both set with diamonds. The moonphase with pav diamonds is available only in white gold.? The movements are the self-winding caliber 1088 and 1088 L (for moonphase). The self-winding and moonphase models in pink gold are accompanied by three interchangeable straps, while the steel version comes with a steel bracelet with twin-folding clasp. The pav moonphase comes with two interchangeable straps. Overall, these five watches are a classic addition to the women's line up at Vacheron Constantin. They range in retail from $21,100 for the steel self-winding to $52,200 for the moonphase in white gold with pav diamonds. Initial Thoughts It is not lost on me that Swiss brands are refocusing on women's watches. Every day, I am asked what the industry is doing to be more inclusive in their watch releases and the proof that the needle is moving is right here in the grie collection. Hot on the heels of Patek Philippe's Automatic Twenty~4 release (and subsequent discontinuation of the standard quartz Twenty~4), Vacheron has come to play with an updated and elaborate ladies' collection. However, I should note that Vacheron is no stranger to ladies' watches: They have eight different collections that include women's pieces, the most prominent being the Overseas, the Patrimony, the Traditionelle, and the Historiques 1921. However, grie is the first fully-dedicated ladies' collection produced by the manufacture since they launched the previous (and very different) iteration of grie 17 years ago. While grie might not be for every woman, the thoughtful details such as the fan-form dial texture (a throwback to the Heures Cratives Heure Discrte watch that literally looks like a fan), Breguet(ish) numerals, and interchangeable strap (similar to the Overseas) led me to believe that they wanted to keep things traditional but contemporary. The biggest thing for me here is the interchangeable straps, not because I don't know how to change my own strap, but because a lot of consumers realistically never do (and really, who wants to go to the boutique every time you want to freshen up your drip?). It also shows that Vacheron believes in the idea of customizing your watch, a small but major detail that a lot of brands such as Bulgari and JLC are offering around their women's pieces.? Two more key points for me are the automatic in-house movement and the size of the watches. A self-winding movement should be obvious here, but I'll say it again: While I love a proper movement, truth be told, winding can be a bother when you are running out the door. I am a self-winding gal through and through, and there is no shame in my game. Furthermore, it's refreshing to see Vacheron continue to make to the 35mm and 37mm cases. While a 28mm case is fine, the trend of larger watches on women is no longer just a fad C it's a definitive style that is here to stay. Overall it's great to see Vacheron continue to invest in their female clients, and I'm excited to see what happens in the next 17 years. The Basics Brand: Vacheron ConstantinModel: grieReference Number: Self-winding, 4605F/000R and 4605F/110A; Moon-Phase, 8005F/000R and 8005F/120A; Moon-Phase Pav Diamond 8006F/000GDiameter: 35mm or 37mmThickness: 9.32mm thick for the 35mm or 10.53mm thick for the 37mmCase Material: Steel, pink gold, or white goldDial Color: Silvered or pav diamond-setIndexes: Applied BreguetLume: NoneWater Resistance: Up to 30mStrap/Bracelet: The self-winding and moonphase model in pink gold are delivered with 3 interchangeable straps; the stainless steel versions are delivered with a steel bracelet; the moonphase with pav diamonds is delivered with two interchangeable straps The Movement Caliber: Automatic in-house caliber 1088 and the 1088 LFunctions: Time, date, moonphase (depending)Diameter: 20.8mmThickness: 3.80mmPower Reserve: 40 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 4 HzJewels: 26Chronometer Certified: No Pricing & Availability Price: Self-winding in pink gold, $28,800; self-winding in steel, $21,200; moonphase in steel, $25,900; moonphase in pink gold, $33,400; and moonphase in white gold with pav diamonds, $52,000.Availability: NALimited Edition: NoFor more, click here.