The Patrimony collection is home to Vacheron Constantin’s dressiest watches. The collection epitomises stylistic pureness and elegance so well that you’d think it has been around since the mid 20th century. The truth is that the Patrimony line is a contemporary creation, having come to being only in 2004. The fact that Patrimony wristwatches appear so classical is no coincidence, for the collection is inspired by 1950s Vacheron Constantin models that highlighted minimalism. The only tell-tale signs that they are indeed from the 21st century are the results of modern preferences, most notably larger case sizes and non-traditional dial colours.
Patrimony Manual-Winding
This year – in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the Patrimony – the brand has introduced new variants of pre-existing models, including two for the Patrimony Manual-Winding. The changes applied to the new Patrimony Manual-Winding are more than just an afterthought and are pretty definitive, as if to refresh the model. Here, we bring you the details and our honest thoughts on Vacheron Constantin’s latest dress watch offering, now with ‘old-silver-toned’ dial and a smaller case size.
The Case, Dial, and Hands
The case of the new Patrimony Manual-Winding measures 39 mm in diameter, a marginal down-size from that of its predecessors. This size adjustment adds elegance to the watch and gives it a better proportion relative to its slender 7.7 mm height. For now, the model is available in either white or pink gold. Against common practice, the model comes with a solid case back. Solid case backs tend to be for hiding less appealing, machine-finished, mass produced movements. This of course isn’t the reason that the Patrimony Manual-Winding has a solid case back. A solid case back increases the elegance and dressiness of the watch, traits that you want to amplify in a dress watch like the Patrimony Manual-Winding. The solid back also lends itself to personal customisation such as a engraving. The pink gold and white gold models are paired with azure blue and olive green leather straps, respectively.
The main talking point of the Patrimony Manual-Winding is its new dial colour which Vacheron Constantin calls “old-silver-toned”. Indeed the dial colour does resemble that of tarnished silver – not exactly a bold colour but is certainly less pedestrian than opaline. Keeping things simple, the dial is given a sunburst satin finish. Inspired by the original designs of the 1950s, the applied hour markers and baton hands gently follow the curve of the dial (convex towards the edge). Marking the minutes are 48 polished 18k gold ‘pearls’, another key design element borrowed from the Patrimony’s mid-20th century ancestor, notably the Ref. 6179.
The Movement
Driving the new Patrimony Manual-Winding is the familiar 116-part, 19 jewel Calibre 1440. This is the same movement used in last year’s 33 mm Traditonnelle Manual-Winding. The Calibre 1440 is delightfully slim at only 2.6 mm, allowing the entire watch itself to be under 8 mm thick. The manual-winding movement has a power reserve of 42 hours and operates at a modern 4 Hz frequency.
Stamped with the Geneva Seal, one can expect the Calibre 1440 to be finished to the exacting standards of high horology, even when obscured by a solid case back. The usual suspects can be found on the movement: Geneva waves on bridges, beveled and polished edges, mirror polished screw heads, gold-filled engraving, and perlage on the base plate, among others.
The Competitive Landscape
With the Calatrava going trendy lately and Audemars Piguet forsaking dress watches, your best bet in finding an elegant three-hander from the Swiss Holy Trinity made within the past 5 years lies with Vacheron Constantin. Despite ever-increasing competition, the Patrimony remains a household name with its timeless design. The new Patrimony Manual-Winding sees itself modernised with an updated movement, bold strap pairing and novel dial colour. The good news is that there is no dignity lost despite these changes; the Patrimony Manual-Winding is not a sell-out. In spirit, it is still an elegant dress watch rooted in tradition – just with fancy straps and a new dial colour that isn’t even far off old-school opaline. Part of the permanent collection, the Patrimony Manual-Winding in pink gold and white gold are each priced at CHF25,200.
The closest alternative to the Patrimony Manual-Winding is, unsurprisingly, the Traditionnelle Manual-Winding. The two watches are virtually the same size, with the Patrimony being a negligible 1 mm larger in diameter. The core concept of tradition and elegance is strongly upheld in both models, although the Patrimony tends to be more minimalist than the Traditionnelle. Both watches are also driven by hand-wound movements – in fact the latest Traditionnelle Manual-Winding reference in 33 mm shares the same movement as the new Patrimony Manual-Winding. In the end, it’s really down to design preferences. For now, the Traditionnelle Manual-Winding 38 mm is slightly less expensive at CHF23,700, although you can expect a small increase in price if or when the model receives an updated movement like the 33 mm variant.
For something slightly less classical yet at least on par in craftsmanship, look no further than the new Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Petite Seconde. Also a newcomer this year, the Toric Petite Seconde has all to do with minimalism, sartorial themes, and pastel colours. The watch still features the collection’s signature knurled bezel, but all the other loaded aesthetics seen in past models have been done without. Much like the Patrimony, the Toric has a hand-wound movement that’s beautifully finished – the main difference is that the bridges are rendered in rose gold and decorated with Côtes de Fleurier instead of Côtes de Genève. The rose gold variation of the Toric Petite Seconde is priced at CHF45,000, making it significantly pricier than the Patrimony. Granted the Toric is a fair bit more nuanced in design and made in lower quantities, it’s up to the buyer to decide if all that is worth the premium.
Concluding Thoughts
It’s not an earth-shattering novelty but the new Patrimony Manual-Winding is a necessary step towards keeping the Patrimony collection relevant. With an updated movement and fresher cosmetics, the watch becomes more appealing to younger collectors. At the same time, older collectors remain unspooked as the novelty retains virtually all of its core design aspects. With a design as timeless as that of the Patrimony’s, the brand knows better than to introduce significant, wholesale changes.
