by Kyle Stults on July 28, 2009
Five different finishes for an ultra-sophisticated new dial
A new beauty from Vacheron Constantin – the Malte Moon Phase and Power-Reserve is available with a case in 18-carat white gold or 5N pink gold, both pictured below.
The generously sized, (39x49mm) tonneau-shaped case frames a magnificently harmonious dial in silvered gold, striking a perfect balance between technical and traditional watchmaking. It is adorned with five different finishes, all of them involving highly skilled craftsmanship. The inner zone features a silvered, finely hand-guilloché “Clous de Paris” or hobnail motif. The outer zone is decorated with a vertical satin-brushed finish, also silvered. The minute circle, the power-reserve display as well as the inscriptions Vacheron Constantin Genève and Swiss Made are all transferred, while the seconds subdial at 6 o’clock is circular satin-brushed. And finally, the minute-circle and power-reserve zones are screen-printed in white.
The moon-phase display embodies a clever blend of technology and expertise, composed of a disc with a galvanised base and a moon face in 18-carat white gold or pink gold depending on the model. The extremely broad dial ensuring user-friendly readability is punctuated by nine hour-markers, two Roman numerals and a Maltese cross, all in 18-carat white or pink gold, depending on the version.
The watch houses a new manual-winding 1410 calibre – a movement entirely developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin, with the Hallmark of Geneva. In addition to hour and minute hand and 40 hour power reserve, the Calibre 1410 drives a precision moon-phase display which will not require any setting for more than 100 years.
One element I am not such a fan of is use of both Roman numerals and Arabic numerals (one or the other!), but the dial does look pretty amazing with all the different finishes utilized in it.
What do you think of this watch?
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