Matt Clymo 
Vacheron Constantin has dropped an amazing new Overseas Grand Complication complete with a tourbillon, minute repeater, perpetual calendar and all in an openwork design at that!
Vacheron Constantin does not do things by halves. After what was a great showing at Watches & Wonders 2025 with their new 270th Anniversary Collection Patrimony and Traditionnelle pieces, of which the Traditionnelle Openface’s were some of my favourites, the Anniversary celebrations continue with the latest release. For the new piece, they have given some special attention to the Overseas and brought out something very special – An Overseas Grand Complication Openface.
We’ve seen the Overseas evolve from its roots in luxury sports watches into something far more nuanced over the years. But now, in a first for the collection – and indeed the Maison – Vacheron has integrated one of watchmaking’s most revered complications into a sports watch platform: the minute repeater. And it isn’t surprising that Vacheron Constantin would do something with the Overseas this year. How could they not, given it is one of their best-selling collections these days?
The new Overseas Grand Complication Openface measures 44.5mm in diameter and 13.1mm thick and is cased in Grade 5 Titanium (and bracelet). When you think about the amount of complications Vacheron has crammed into this, it’s watchmaking at its finest as this piece houses the Vacheron Constantin produced Calibre 2755 QP with a Perpetual Calendar, Tourbillon, Minute Repeater and power reserve indicator, which Vacheron Constantin has given an openwork treatment to.
Before we get into the movement, let’s talk about the case. Being a sports watch, Vacheron wanted to make sure this lived up to being a sports watch, so water resistance was paramount. Most Minute Repeaters have effectively no water resistance due to the slide mechanism that activates the chiming function of the watch, so for the new Overseas Grand Complication, Vacheron Constantin had to re-think the case design. This alone took a year and a half of research and development and involved a complete redesign of the caseback to create space for the minute repeater mechanism found in the Calibre 2755 QP, all without negatively affecting the overall aesthetics and curves of the case itself.
RELATED READING: Watch Icons – A Deep Dive Into The Vacheron Constantin Overseas
The Calibre 2755 QP is a first for Vacheron’s Overseas collection as mentioned. It has 602 components in a movement that is 33.3mm in diameter and 7.9mm thick. Via the manual wind movement, it delivers 58 hours of power, which you can keep track of via the power reserve indicator on the back, and beats at 2.5Hz / 18,000 Vph. It incorporates a perpetual calendar with date, day, month and leap-year cycle indications. Like pretty much most Perpetual Calendars, it won’t require a correction once set until the year 2100.
Minute Repeaters are small technical marvels, and require a lot of expertise and skill to create. One reason a majority of minute repeaters are worth a lot of money. In the case of the Calibre 2755 QP, Vacheron Constantin’s watchmakers developed a centripetal regulator, a proprietary device that allows the hammers to be struck at the precise intervals required to obtain the correct musical sequences. When not operating, the movement features two centrifugal weights that act as a motor brake on the axis of rotation, smoothing the flow of energy released by the repeater spring.
RELATED READING: Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Review
Dial side, and you have all the information you need in the typical Vacheron Constantin style. Month at 12 o’clock, with a small leap year indicator next to it, the date at 3 o’clock and the day at 9 o’clock. At 6 o’clock there is a tourbillon that also has a small seconds hand attached as it rotates around every 60 seconds. These, along with the 18k white gold hour markers all sit on a clear sapphire disc that allows the movement behind to shine through and gives the watch that beautiful openwork look. And for those keen-eyed, a 3D Poinçon de Genève, or Seal of Geneva between the date and tourbillon. Kind of a nice touch from Vacheron!
“With the boundaries between watchmaking genres becoming increasingly blurred today, the world of horological complications is no longer confined to fragile, museum-quality timepieces – far from it. This is exactly what Vacheron Constantin is doing with the Overseas collection”
Christian Selmoni – Vacheron Constantin Director of Style & Patrimony.
Initial Thoughts
I think what Christian Selmoni says about the Overseas collection, and watchmaking genres in general is true. Well, at least in my opinion anyway. Modern-day collectors want to be able to enjoy watchmaking in many forms, and in many styles of watches. Fine watchmaking isn’t confined to the realm of dress watches, or museum pieces, but now can sit in the sports watch genre too. And why not? Form and function can most definitely go together. As both a watch enthusiast/collector and journalist (among the many hats I wear), I want to see more of the craftsmanship and skill on show, but in watch styles I love and wear every day. For this reason, I do love the expanding Overseas collection, and let’s face it, Vacheron Constantin does high horology mixed with sports very well. The current Overseas QP is stunning in any style of precious metal.
Vacheron Constantin says this will be limited in production due to the complexity and time it takes to make these pieces, and as a result, this will be a Price on request piece for those that have the means to afford it, and I don’t fancy my chances of getting one anytime soon. While the new Overseas Grand Complication Openface may be out of the reach of many, it showcases what Vacheron can do and should do – amazingly complicated and well-finished movements in a lightweight titanium sports watch.
Reference: 6510V/110T-128C
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 44.5mm x 13.1mm thick
- Case Material: Brushed & polished grade 5 titanium
- Dial: Sapphire crystal with blue display counters, 18K white gold hour-markers & hands. Hours & minutes hands highlighted with blue Super-Luminova®
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal
- Case back: Sapphire case back
- Movement: In-house manual winding Calibre 2755 QP tourbillon minute repeater, beating at 2.5Hz / 18,000 VpH, pivoting on 45 jewels with day, date, month, leap year and power reserve indicators.
- Power Reserve: 58hrs
- Water resistance: 30m (3 Bar)
- Strap/Bracelet: Titanium grade 5, satin-finished and polished, interchangeable and with comfort-adjustment system and two additional straps: in blue alligator and in blue rubber
