Elite Traveler Summer 2019

9 elite travel SUMM 3

VACHERON CONSTANTIN OVERSEAS PERPETUAL CALENDAR ULTRA THIN Vacheron Constantin has been known for its fine craftsmanship and superlative complications since its founding in 1755. In recent years, its sporty Overseas collection has attracted collectors thanks to the clean design. Its new launch, the blue-dial Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin, is a technical feat, combining a perpetual calendar function within a super-slim caliber. To build an ultra-thin watch means that all of the components must also be super thin without compromising strength. That, coupled with the fact that the perpetual calendar requires so many extra parts, makes this accomplishment remarkable. The 276-part mechanical, self-winding movement is just over 4mm thick, so the finished watch measures just 8.1mm. With luminescent hands and markers, reading the calendar information at a glance — even in the dark — is easy. $75,000 in 18K white gold, Vacheron Constantin in New York, +1 212 317 8964, vacheron-constantin.com

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PATEK PHILIPPE REF 5212A-001 CALATRAVA WEEKLY CALENDAR The Patek Philippe Calatrava Weekly Calendar watch has a new complication in the brand’s calendar segment; for the first time, it offers not just the time, date and day of the week, but it displays the current week number in the year. Although week numbers are not commonly used in North America, other countries frequently reference the week number, making it quite useful. The watch houses an all-new self-winding movement, Caliber 26-330 SCJ SE, with a semi-integrated mechanism that displays the week number. The 304-part movement shows the day and week number using hands, and the date in an aperture at 3 o’clock. The movement is equipped with a 21K gold central rotor, high-tech balance and spring, and offers 35 hours of power reserve. The silvery opaline dial is distinctive thanks to the letters and numbers that were first handwritten, then reproduced. $33,450 in stainless steel, Wempe Jewelers in New York, +1 212 397 9000, patek.com

PARMIGIANI FLEURIER TORIC QUANTIEME PERPETUAL RETROGRADE With a spectacular hand-engraved, guilloché, slate-colored dial and an aventurine disc for the moonphase complication, this Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Quantieme Perpetual Calendar Retrograde watch is a truly elegant take on a classic look. It features a beautiful moonphase with depictions from both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, and the leap-year indication, day and month are indicated through apertures rather than subdials. The retrograde date indication is shown via a black hand with red arc. The 414-part, self-winding PF 333 movement powers the watch, and its moon phases are accurate for 122 years. $64,100 in 18K rose gold, Cellini Jewelers in New York, +1 212 888 0505, parmigiani.com

GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL SENATOR EXCELLENCE PERPETUAL CALENDAR With a partially skeletonized dial that allows for the jewels and flashes of the movement to be visible dialside, this Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar watch is a study in harmony and craftsmanship. The 42mm watch houses an automatic movement and features a key signature for the brand: the oversized Panorama Date indication at 4 o’clock. Water resistant to 50 meters, the watch features aperture indications for all of the calendar functions, and has blued hands for the hour, minute and second. Each watch is meticulously tested for 24 days under circumstances that exceed chronometer tests, ensuring ultimate precision. $37,500 in 18K white gold, Manfredi Jewels in Greenwich, Connecticut, +1 203 622 1414, glashuette-original.com

AURENT FERRIER ALET ANNUAL CALENDAR CHOOL PIECE troduced last year, the Laurent Ferrier alet Annual Calendar School Piece watch ickly stole hearts with its minimalistic dial d clean looks. This year, it released new rsions with opaline dials in black and hite, as well as a new blue-dial model. wered by the manual caliber LF126.01, the atch is easy to use: The date and month e adjusted simply by turning the crown rward or backward. The hands are white ld, but the central date hand is bold red, aking it easier to read the date along the al’s outer track. 58,000 in stainless steel, Cellini Jewelers New York, +1 212 888 0505, urentferrier.ch L G S In G qu an ve w Po w ar fo go m di $ in la