16 Different Ways Of Being Complicated

Highly esteemed watchmakers Vacheron Constantine have a legacy and heritage of over 250 years of interrupted watchmaking. No other watch company can claim this fact because it is forever imprinted in history. Since 1755 Vacheron Constantine has stood for excellence, tradition, and superb craftsmanship. While most watch companies after World War 2 were severely affected by their factories getting bombed, and as a result not being able to produce watches, in some cases till almost 100 years later. Vacheron Constantine Geneva Born Fine watchmakers were an exception to the rule because of their resilience and commitment to their craft, were able to produce the finest and most sought after timepieces in the world.

To mark this legendary accomplishment, in 2005 Vacheron Constantine Celebrated their 250Th anniversary by making the most complicated and expensive wristwatch in the world! They came out with the most ferocious complicated wristwatch. The Tour D'lil which stands 47 mm made out of 18k rose gold, with double sided dials with sixteen complications, 8 on each side. This watch consists of 834 individual parts and took over 10,000 hours of design work. The Tour d'Ille won the L'Aiguille d'Or, top honors at the 2005 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve. The watch also bears the Geneva quality hallmark. It is named for a historical site of Vacheron Constantin located next to the current Maison Vacheron Constantin on the Quai de l'Ile.

The retail of this watch in 2005 was !.5 million dollars, and because there will only be 7 made for the world the watch is commanding as much as double it's initial retail. To buy this watch you had to put down half a million dollar deposit, you would then wait till the watch was completed, then be flown in to Geneva where you would be greeted by Mr. Charlie Torres CEO and President World Wide of Vacheron Constantine, where you would pay the remaining balance and be presented this masterpiece by Mr Torres. Now, how is that for ultimate opulence?

So just how complicated are we talking about? Well, lets see, the watch features Hours, Minutes, Subsidiary Seconds, Repetition (qtr, mins), Tourbillon, Power Reserve of 58 hours, 2nd Time, Moonphase, Moon Age, Striking Torque, Perpetual Calendar, Equation of Time, Sunrise, Sunset, Sky Chart. The bezel is fixed, and believe it or not this complication is not even a little bit water resistant, I mean for !.5 million dollars you would think you could slip and slide with it, for me I wouldn't wanna get this visual wet dream wet. I guess there is always a Swatch Scuba for $50 bucks if you want that.

Just when you think it couldn't get any cooler, it does because, the watch bears a secret Signature at 12 o'clock (1755 - 2005). The winding stem has 2 positions. The second time-zone & moon-phase are adjusted using 2 correctors recessed on the side the case. The perpetual calendar can be adjusted using 3 correctors which are also recessed on the side of the case. The sidereal disc can adjusted using a lockable push-button and crown. The watch can be worn only with the finest chocolate brown crocodile strap that is thickly padded for robust durability and refinement.

I must say though, this watch has won critical acclaim from almost every watch magazine, major news papers around the globe, it was even featured as the number one opulent toys on VH1. There is no question that this watch has made history, broken records, restored their image, paid homage to all the traditional elements of master watchmaking by having the balls, and being the first to show how there are sixteen different ways of being complicated in one wristwatch!

pic courtesy of www.vacheronconstantine.com