Vacheron Constantin caps a banner year with the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, finally positioning its compact perpetual as a unisex proposition rather than a gem-set ladies’ exclusive. Building on the vintage-friendly 36.5 mm case size first seen in 2022, the latest references arrive in either white or pink gold, with the clean, unadorned versions taking centre stage as they broaden the landscape for classic perpetual calendars in genuinely compact sizes.

Initial thoughts

Some watches are good not because they are revolutionary, but simply because they combine several appealing traits in a single watch; the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar is a good example. The cal. 1120 QP movement has been around for decades, and since 2022 it has even had a home in this 36.5 mm Traditionnelle case, albeit only in gem-set models positioned as ladies watches.

For the first time, this compact perpetual calendar is positioned as a unisex watch thanks to an unadorned case in either 18k white or pink gold. An additional gem-set reference joins the collection as well, but the standard model is the newsworthy article as it adds a meaningful option to the landscape of vintage-leaning perpetual calendars.

Production has already commenced, and the pieces that the brand manages to make before year-end will be marked with the 270th anniversary emblem that has marked all of this year’s releases. This small detail denoting a subset of the production may prove to be a fun collector Easter Egg in the future.

The Traditionnelle is available now and retails for exactly US$100,000, excluding taxes. That’s a little more than double the price of a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar, but a better comparison is probably the Patek Philippe 5327R, which costs about 30% more. The Traditionelle more than holds its own against its pricier peer, and as a result manages to feel like a decent value.

Tidy trio

The Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar is getting three new references — two in white gold and one in pink gold. While one of the white gold models is set with just over one carat of diamonds, the other is unadorned. This reference features pink gold hands and dial markers, a detail that goes a long way toward warming up what would otherwise be a frigid palette. This mixed metal characteristic of the white gold model is especially appealing.

The pink gold model is more monochrome in its presentation, with case-matched hands and dial markers. What the three models have in common is of course the Traditionnelle’s famous dauphine-style hands that are faceted and finished with contrasting matte and polished surfaces.

The other thing these new references have in common is the compact 36.5 mm case that’s just 8.43 mm in height. This makes it about 0.5 mm larger in each dimension than the brand’s first ultra-thin automatic perpetual calendar, the ref. 43031, launched in 1983.

Curiously, it’s a bit thicker than the Overseas Perpetual, Calendar Ultra-Thin, a watch equipped with the same calibre that manages to be water resistant to 50 m in a case just 8.1 mm thick. Regardless, the Traditionnelle is remarkably thin in the context of complicated watches.

At a small premium of just US$2,000, the diamond-set version adds 79 brilliant-cut stones to the bezel and lugs, plus a round-cut diamond on the crown. The pin buckle is further adorned with 17 round-cut diamonds.

Historical heart

The 36.5 mm sizing is a breath of fresh air for collectors who appreciate vintage proportions but favour contemporary build quality and a simpler buying experience. And it’s more than just the case size that leans vintage — the cal. 1120-based modular architecture is a tangible link to early ultra-thin perpetual calendars that defined the category like the Audemars Piguet ref. 5548 and Vacheron Constantin’s own ref. 43031.

Much has been written about this calibre over the past 50 years, but a few details are worth revisiting. Still the thinnest full-rotor automatic movement in production, the cal. 1120, was clearly ahead of its time when developed by Jaeger-LeCoultre in the 1960s as the cal. 920.

The movement was developed at the behest of Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, and Patek Philippe, and these brands remain the only ones that have used this platform. This piece of trivia alone marks the cal. 1120 as a historically significant movement, but the fact that we’re still talking about it nearly 60 years later is what’s more interesting.

One of the reasons for the cal. 1120’s staying power is due to the forward-thinking trade-offs that were made during its development. We recently explored the relationship between power reserve and torque, and the need for torque to power complications without sacrificing balance amplitude.

The constructors at Jaeger-LeCoultre must have understood that part of the raison d’être of an ultra-thin movement was the ability to power complications. So within the already groundbreaking spacial constraints of the movement, the engineers managed to squeeze out nearly 40 hours of power reserve while still retaining enough torque to make it versatile as a base calibre.

Today the cal. 1120 QP retains the charmingly antiquated 19,800 bph frequency and the familiar sub-dial configuration first seen in the ref. 43031, with the 48-month indicator up top and an unencumbered moon phase indicator at six.

The contemporary build of this legacy movement is excellent, and features the free-sprung balance that didn’t always make the cut historically; the cal. 1120 used in the ref. 43031 and 1990s watches like the Saltarello missed out on this upgrade. As a testament to its traditional construction and fine finishing, the cal. 1120 QP used in the Traditionnelle is double-stamped with the Geneva Seal, once on the balance cock and once on the main plate (though the latter is barely visible).

Key facts and price

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin
Ref. 4300T/000G – H106 (white gold)
Ref. 4300T/000R – H107 (pink gold)
Ref. 4305T/000G – H135 (white gold, diamonds)

Diameter: 36.5 mm
Height: 8.43 mm
Material: 18k pink or white gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water-resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 1120 QP
Functions: Hours, minutes, and perpetual calendar with moon phase
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 19,800 beats per hour (2.75 Hz)
Power reserve: 40 hours

Strap: Alligator strap with matching pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Vacheron Constantin boutiques and retailers
Price: US$100,000 (white or pink gold) or US$102,000 (white gold with diamonds) excluding taxes

For more information, visit vacheron-constantin.com.