Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Revamps A Classic With Three New Patrimony Models

April 10, 2024

The Patrimony turns 20 this year. Created in 2004 but wholly inspired by the minimalist watches of the 1950s, the Patrimony collection has become the modern dress watch staple in the Vacheron catalog. Today we see two new (marginally) shrunken down to 39mm manual winding models as well as a 41mm with moonphase and retrograde date added to the lineup. The two manual-winding models come in both white gold and pink gold and are a whole 1 mm smaller than the existing Patrimony time-only offerings and come in at 7.7mm thick. Both dials come in a cool toned antique silver color with sunburst-finish and traditional slender hour-markers and "pearl" minutes track, both pink gold. The caseback is closed, which means there's room for engraving, which I wholeheartedly prefer because a simple watch like this is perfect for a sentimental scribble on the back. These new Patrimony offerings come equipped with in-house manual-winding Caliber 1440, which measures a very slim 2.6 mm and has a 42-hour power reserve. Vacheron have also added two new colored straps to complete the upgrade: olive green for white gold and azure blue for pink. Now for the moonphase and retrograde date white gold Patrimony. There's been zero change in size on this model, but Vacheron has updated the dial color to create what I can only assume is an attempt at a more vintage look. The sunburst antique-silver-toned shade provides the base for the pink gold of the hands and hour markers and the moonphase indication at 6 o'clock, which corresponds precisely to the moon's cycle of 29 days, 12 hours and 45 minutes. This technology means the moonphase requires only one correction every 122 years! The retrograde date display sits at the upper part of the dial with a tiny little rose gold Maltese cross nestled just below. The in-house Caliber 2460 R31L can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback. What We Think Vacheron Constantin looked to the ref. 6179 for inspiration when launching the Patrimony back in 2004. Presented in 1957, ref. 6179 was both functional and supremely classic in style C a perfectly smooth gold disc that was understated and slim and hypnotically minimal with its slightly convex dial, like a Chinese stone Dropa disc without the hole in the center. It was watchmaking classicism with a slender bezel, and a dial punctuated by slender hour-markers and a "pearl" minutes track. All of these features were inherited by the first Patrimony and continue to be today. The one glaringly obvious genetic disconnect from a modern time-only Patrimony to their mid-century predecessors is their much larger case diameter. What was once a style that came in at 34 mm now comes in at 39mm C meaning we are still way off from any re-issue or recreation closer to the original specs. Case-diameter discourse aside (because we know how that goes), this watch still lives up to the original aesthetic function of slim lines and understated elegance. I know we are so over the term "quiet luxury," but it doesn't mean we are over the concept. I still want a Margaux bag from the Row and a perfect heather grey cashmere sweater from Celine. I think this new 39mm white gold with olive green strap would fit quite nicely into my rich-lady-who-always-looks-effortless fantasy. I say that's an overall win. The Basics Brand: Vacheron Constantin Model: Patrimony Manual-Winding; Patrimony Moon-phase Retrograde DateReference Number: 1410U/000G-H017; 1410U/000R-H018; 4010U/000G-H070Diameter: 39mm; 39mm; 42.5mmThickness: 7.7 mm; 7.7mm; 9.7 mm Case Material: White gold; rose gold; white goldDial Color: Antique-silver-toned, sunburst finishing for all three models Indexes: 18K 5N pink gold applied Lume: No Water Resistance: 30 meters for all three models Strap/Bracelet: Olive-green/Azure blue Mississippi alligator leather with calf inner shell, tone-on-tone stitching, square scales; 18K white gold / 18K 5N pink gold pin buckle Polished half Maltese cross-shaped The Movement Caliber 2460 R31L Caliber: 1440; 1440; 2460 R31LFunctions: Hours, minutes; hours, minutes; hours, minutes, retrograde date Precision moonphase; age of the moonDiameter: 22.1 mm; 22.1 mm; 27.2 mmThickness: 2.6 mm; 2.6 mm; 5.4 mmPower Reserve: Approximately 42 hours; approximately 42 hours; approximately 40 hoursWinding: Manual-winding; manual winding; self-windingFrequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour); 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour); 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)Jewels: 19 jewels; 19 jewels; 27 jewels Pricing & Availability Price: TBDAvailability: TBDLimited Edition: NoFor more, click here.