Introducing te Vacheron Constantin - Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar with specs and price. Presented at SIHH 2019, the new Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar introduces a patent-pending system for lossless timekeeping transition between high-frequency Active mode (5Hz) and low-frequency Standby mode (1.2Hz). Available exclusively from Vacheron Constantin boutiques, the new Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar (ref. 3200T/000P-B578) has a price of Euro 219,000.
Presented at SIHH 2019, the new Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar introduces a patent-pending system for lossless timekeeping transition between high-frequency Active mode (5Hz) and low-frequency Standby mode (1.2Hz). When worn, the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar beats at a high frequency in the usual way, displaying the hours, minutes, date, month, leap year cycle and power reserve on its dial. When the watch is not being worn, its in-house developed calibre 3610 QP can be slowed down in order to extend its power reserve dramatically.
To achieve this goal, the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar features two balances, each operating at a different frequency. A pusher at the 8 o’clock position allows the wearer to easily switch from one frequency to another, depending on activity level.
When the watch is on the wrist, the wearer will get the most out of it by keeping it in Active mode, which features a 5Hz (36,000vph) balance and 4 days of power reserve.
If the watch is to be taken off and left unworn for some time, it can be switched to Standby mode, which runs on a second balance with a drastically reduced frequency of 1.2Hz (8,640vph). This allows the maximum power reserve to be extended to at least 65 days. At any point during the Standby mode running time, the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar can be switched back to Active mode and reworn, with all its calendar indications perfectly up to date.
This dual-frequency function becomes particularly useful and appealing if combined to a perpetual calendar. In fact, with this system, a hand-wound perpetual calendar can be set flat on a table and picked up more than two months later, still displaying the correct date and month.
The switching system between Active mode and Standby mode without interrupting the ability of the movement to keep time was a inspired by the seasonal system from the Japanese Edo Period (1603 – 1868), which divided day and night into six segments, of which the length varied from day to night and from one season to another. Clocks from this period were equipped with a single or double foliot balance enabling automatic changes in their operating speed. A similar Japanese lantern clock from the very beginning of 18th century, belonging to the Musée International d’Horlogerie based in Switzerland, is exhibited on Vacheron Constantin’s booth at the SIHH 2019.
The mode selector of the Twin Beat system operates on an all-or-nothing principle, allowing only one balance to oscillate at a time. Additionally, the all-or-nothing construction ensures that the switch is instantaneous, with no lag when transitioning from one mode to the other.
This guarantees that the timekeeping operations of the calibre 3610 QP are never interrupted, even for a fraction of a second, and that the time display remains as precise as possible.
Both the Active (5Hz) and Standby (1.2Hz) balances are driven by the same mainspring barrel, which is the most efficient way of distributing energy and the only way to have a single power-reserve indication.
In the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar, Vacheron Constantin has also implemented instantaneous jumping indications for the date, month and leap year. Simultaneously, the jumping mechanism has been completely redesigned, utilising a sprung dual-gear compound system that requires four times less torque than a conventional jumping display. With this improvement, even when day, month and year indications jump instantaneously, the effect on the amplitude of the active balance is negligible.
The classic 42 mm x 12.3 mm case crafted from platinum frames a dial where the art of engine turning and frosted finish produced clean radial guillochage and sand-blasted surfaces. The dial is made in two main segments in a multi-stage process. A gold dial segment is decorated with hand- guillochage, and then fitted within an outer segment of sapphire crystal. Gold hour indexes are then set into the sapphire-crystal dial segment, which is further laser-engraved and ink-filled.
Movement plates and bridges are decorated with Côtes de Genève and then treated with NAC, a dark coating that offers superior resistance and durability compared with other similar-looking treatments.
Available exclusively from Vacheron Constantin boutiques, the new Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar (ref. 3200T/000P-B578) has a price of Euro 219,000. vacheron-constantin.com
- Discover more SIHH 2019 novelties
To achieve this goal, the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar features two balances, each operating at a different frequency. A pusher at the 8 o’clock position allows the wearer to easily switch from one frequency to another, depending on activity level.
If the watch is to be taken off and left unworn for some time, it can be switched to Standby mode, which runs on a second balance with a drastically reduced frequency of 1.2Hz (8,640vph). This allows the maximum power reserve to be extended to at least 65 days. At any point during the Standby mode running time, the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar can be switched back to Active mode and reworn, with all its calendar indications perfectly up to date.
This dual-frequency function becomes particularly useful and appealing if combined to a perpetual calendar. In fact, with this system, a hand-wound perpetual calendar can be set flat on a table and picked up more than two months later, still displaying the correct date and month.
The switching system between Active mode and Standby mode without interrupting the ability of the movement to keep time was a inspired by the seasonal system from the Japanese Edo Period (1603 – 1868), which divided day and night into six segments, of which the length varied from day to night and from one season to another. Clocks from this period were equipped with a single or double foliot balance enabling automatic changes in their operating speed. A similar Japanese lantern clock from the very beginning of 18th century, belonging to the Musée International d’Horlogerie based in Switzerland, is exhibited on Vacheron Constantin’s booth at the SIHH 2019.
The mode selector of the Twin Beat system operates on an all-or-nothing principle, allowing only one balance to oscillate at a time. Additionally, the all-or-nothing construction ensures that the switch is instantaneous, with no lag when transitioning from one mode to the other.
This guarantees that the timekeeping operations of the calibre 3610 QP are never interrupted, even for a fraction of a second, and that the time display remains as precise as possible.
Both the Active (5Hz) and Standby (1.2Hz) balances are driven by the same mainspring barrel, which is the most efficient way of distributing energy and the only way to have a single power-reserve indication.
In the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar, Vacheron Constantin has also implemented instantaneous jumping indications for the date, month and leap year. Simultaneously, the jumping mechanism has been completely redesigned, utilising a sprung dual-gear compound system that requires four times less torque than a conventional jumping display. With this improvement, even when day, month and year indications jump instantaneously, the effect on the amplitude of the active balance is negligible.
The classic 42 mm x 12.3 mm case crafted from platinum frames a dial where the art of engine turning and frosted finish produced clean radial guillochage and sand-blasted surfaces. The dial is made in two main segments in a multi-stage process. A gold dial segment is decorated with hand- guillochage, and then fitted within an outer segment of sapphire crystal. Gold hour indexes are then set into the sapphire-crystal dial segment, which is further laser-engraved and ink-filled.
Movement plates and bridges are decorated with Côtes de Genève and then treated with NAC, a dark coating that offers superior resistance and durability compared with other similar-looking treatments.
Available exclusively from Vacheron Constantin boutiques, the new Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar (ref. 3200T/000P-B578) has a price of Euro 219,000. vacheron-constantin.com
- Discover more SIHH 2019 novelties
COMMENTS