The Patrimony collection, born in 2004, has established itself as the pinnacle of dress watches, particularly its manual-winding two-hand model, which represents the height of refinement. This year, a new Majestic Blue model makes a striking debut. This avant-garde aesthetic reveals the current identity of this historic watch brand.

Since 2000, Vacheron Constantin has been re-evaluating and reconstructing its past creations. The Patrimony collection, unveiled in 2004, is one such result of this return to tradition.

By stripping away ornamentation and achieving the highest level of finishing, the collection expresses a calm design. Paired with slim movements, these watches have become popular for their classical and elegant style, positioning them as one of today's foremost dress watches.

The gently curved dial features a minute track, referred to as “pearls,” resembling tiny beads, and bar indexes. The four wedge-shaped indexes serve as a striking design accent. This is truly a design born from the ultimate principle of subtraction. Such a focus on essential form resonates particularly well with the Japanese aesthetic.

It is powered by the in-house developed and manufactured ultra-thin manual-winding movement, Cal. 1400. This simple two-hand mechanism is housed in a movement measuring just 2.6mm in thickness and 20.65mm in diameter. Remarkably, for its size, it offers a power reserve of approximately 40 hours and beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour, achieving a high level of both usability and precision. True to Vacheron Constantin's reputation, there is no room for compromise.

Since its founding in 1755, Vacheron Constantin has focused not only on its movements but also on design. Particularly after venturing into wristwatches in the 1910s, the brand began releasing watches with unique forms. For example, the tonneau case, inherited by the "Maltese Falcon" collection, was first introduced by Vacheron Constantin in 1912. Other notable creations include the "Toledo" with flared case decorations and the "Jarretière," which features a shutter to cover the dial, opening and closing with a slide of a button. Each discovery fills us with excitement, reminding us that this brand is always pushing boundaries!

Perhaps Vacheron Constantin has always been avant-garde. Its "proactive stance" has consistently shaped the trends of the times.

Blue is currently trending in the watch world. However, it's unlikely Vacheron Constantin adopted this color merely to follow the trend. One reason lies in their meticulous attention to the shade known as Majestic Blue. This deep navy, close to indigo with a subtle reddish undertone, commands a distinct presence even under the after-seven downlights.

Currently, the Patrimony Manual-Winding collection offers dial colors in silver, light gray, slate gray, and black. While all these hues are now considered appropriate for a dress watch, a century ago, the standard for dress watches would have been white or ivory. Even in the choice of dial color, there lies a history of avant-garde challenges.

Great standards are not born without the challenge of innovation. The choice of Majestic Blue undoubtedly reinforces this principle.