Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas Ultra-Thin now has a brand-new movement and a streamlined silhouette
The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-thin is produced in a run of 255 individually numbered pieces
The high-end integrated-bracelet, ultra-thin sports-watch category can feel like a crowded field, but really it is dominated by three houses – Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. Previously, all three shared a movement, the 920, which was born at Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1967 and became Audemars Piguet’s calibre 2120/2121 used in the Royal Oak, Patek Philippe’s 28-255 for the Nautilus, and the 1120 for Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas. It allowed these timepieces to keep their cases slim. The former two evolved mechanically, but Vachero Constantin remained loyal to the 1120. Until now.
For Watches & Wonders 2026, Vacheron unveiled its new calibre – the 2550. Just 2.4mm thick – or, when in its 39.5mm platinum case, 7.35mm – it puts the brand ahead in the horological Olympics. To do it, the maison spent seven years rethinking the movement’s architecture. It now has a platinum micro-rotor that is integrated into the mainplate, as opposed to being layered above it. It has stacked the two winding barrels on a single post that work in series, which delivers an 80-hour power reserve. Then there is the gear train whose five wheels are on a single plane.
The model features a salmon pink dial - a nod to pieces from the 1940s
It has been awarded the Poinçon de Genève – the prestigious certification bestowed only on mechanical timepieces made in the Canton of Geneva with an emphasis on superior finishing, which is on display here in the form of dramatic Geneva striping, gorgeous anglage and the complex alternating finishing on the micro-rotor, which features a compass rose.
Vacheron has chosen to house this achievement in a watch that is just as fabulous on the outside. The case and bracelet are platinum, and the dial is a swoon-worthy sun-brushed salmon pink – a nod to pieces from the 1940s that used this shade. There is no date to disturb its minimalism, while the hands are 18k white gold and, like the indices, filled with Super–LumiNova. A sporty rubber strap comes with it, and one in dark beige alligator, both of which transform the watch’s personality. These can be easily changed at home thanks to Vacheron’s “click in and out” system – one of the most elegant and luxurious strap-change options on the market.
The case measured 40mm in diameter, with a thickness of 7.5mm
This is no core collection model. It is boutique-only and limited to just 255 pieces. With its price tag (£103,000), the new timepiece and its movement aren’t about making a commercial decision. Rather, by replacing a movement previously developed by someone else for an in-house one, Vacheron has created a calling card for exactly what this house can do – and not just in the monde of métiers d’art.
It’s a bold statement proving that, even after 270 years, this venerated grande dame of the watch world can still stand out in a 21st-century landscape.
