One of Vacheron Constantin’s more affordable complicated timepieces, the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar was recently refreshed with a smartly minimalist palette of white gold and grey.

And the watchmaker has quickly followed up with the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface, which is more striking – with more complicated aesthetics – thanks to a see-through dial that reveals the calendar works.

Initial thoughts

Eminently different from the standard version, the Openface is a strong addition to the brand’s calendar line up, especially for those who find the standard models too simple in style – it has a notably unique aesthetic.

The new look is the result of a surprisingly simple upgrade. Instead of a skeletonised movement – which is the norm for open-faced watches but far more costly – this has a transparent dial that showcases the intricate wheels and jumpers of the calendar module.

Simple as it is, the Openface is nevertheless thoughtfully executed. In typical Vacheron Constantin fashion, attention has been paid to the details in both design and finish to create a pleasing, refined look. One example is the upper section of the dial that’s finished with a radial guilloche, which contrasts with the lower portion in sapphire, giving it visual definition (while also highlighting the branding).

The hour markers are secured with feet on both ends, instead of being cantilevered, for extra stability

And despite the complex appearance, legibility has preserved with the use of contrasting colours and finishes: the straight-grained bridges are coated dark grey, allowing the gold hands and markers to stand out, while the week and month displays are made obvious with white backing.

Admittedly, the Openface doesn’t have the intricacy and fineness of Vacheron Constantin’s finest skeletonised calendar watches, like Overseas Ultra-Thin for example. But it is a lot more affordable, with a price tag of US$47,300, putting it about 15% over the standard version. That makes the Openface a value proposition of sorts amongst the brand’s calendar watches.

Complete calendar

Because the dial is almost entirely transparent, the calendar module comes to the fore, revealing both the mechanics and finishing.

Thankfully the calendar module has been carefully dressed up, as would be expected for a movement with the Poincon de Genève. The bridges and plate are straight grained and coated in dark grey NAC to echo the style of the dial and case, giving the watch a coherent look.

And importantly for geeks, the calendar mechanism is revealed in all its glory.

Though it’s a relatively traditional – and simple – triple calendar, there is an attractive sense of mechanical depth thanks to the sapphire calendar discs, which reveals the wheels and jumpers underneath.

Mechanically the Openface is identical to its closed-dial counterpart. The base movement is the cal. 2460, an in-house automatic calibre that’s serves as the workhorse calibre for many of the brand’s upper-end models, including those with unorthodox time displays.

Key Facts and Price

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface
Ref. 4020T/000G-B655 (white gold)
Ref. 4020T/000R-B654 (pink gold)

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 10.7 mm
Material: 18k white or pink gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 2460 QCL/2
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, day, moon phase, month
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 hz)
Power reserve: 40 hours

Strap: Alligator with pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At boutiques and authorised retailers
Price: US$47,300; or 68,000 Singapore dollars

For more, visit vacheronconstantin.com