Vacheron Constantin uses high-touch client experiences to defend sports watch pricing

Hands-On The M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese Introducing The Breitling Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 Miles Davis Scaling a less-than-casual route in Utah with one of the hottest luxury sports watches in the world strapped to my wrist. Somewhere high over the cinematically unforgiving terrain of southern Utah, I cling awkwardly to a metal rung neatly stapled into a slab of near-vertical Navajo sandstone. Using a free hand, I adjust a pair of sliding metal tethers to enable my climb. These are the lifelines that will hopefully keep me alive should my grip or footing fail. Being no fan of heights, I wonder how much longer this will last as I notice the route of rungs extending straight up and out of sight along the cutting topography of the ridgeline. Instinctively, I glance at my wrist to mark the time. I'm met with yet another novel, but very real, concern – I'm wearing someone else's $40,000 watch. I'm in Canyon Point, Utah, not far from the northern border of Arizona, for an event held at Amangiri, one of the finest hotels in the world. The exclusive event celebrates Vacheron Constantin's latest entry into its sportiest category: the Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points. But I am an interloper among the assembled guests, many of whom are among the brand's most notable North American collectors. While I'm no stranger to the glitz, glamour, and all-you-can-eat shrimp of wa

When Vacheron Constantin launched the Overseas collection three decades ago, the models embodied the more than 270-year-old maison’s conception of an elegant traveling chronograph — rooted in the spirit of exploration and openness to the world. At the 2026 Watches and Wonders, the Swiss watchmakers are presenting the new Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points collection, in full titanium. With four distinct dial colors, the hues represent the cardinal points North, South, East and West on a compass and different landscapes to explore. White represents the frozen North, brown evokes the continents and plains of the South, green looks towards the West with its forest and jungles and blue symbolizes the Eastern horizon where the ocean and sky meet. Christian Selmoni, style and heritage director of Vacheron Constantin, told Fairchild Studio that these new unveilings are inspired by previous editions of the titanium Overseas Dual Time watches , including a prototype made for explorer Cory Richards. “What resonates most deeply is the idea that we are constantly in motion,” said Richards. “That’s what we as humans do by our very nature. Whether it’s an internal or external journey, it always leads us towards the cardinal points to guide our lives. And in doing so, we not only uncover the world, but also uncover ourselves through that action of exploration.” The Overseas Dual Time Cardinal

As part of the brand’s “One of Not Many Crafts” programme, Vacheron Constantin is experimenting with a series of concept watches decorated with unexpected artisanal crafts, Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Animal Kingdom . Some of the decorative method have never before used by Vacheron Constantin, or even watchmaking at large. The series is made up of six creative watches – each a unique creation – that run the gamut of rare crafts, some that are traditional in watchmaking, like gold embroidery, but others that are surprising, like origami. Each watch has a whimsical name stemming from the subject and method: Feathersnake, Glassoctopus, Oraygami, Tigerbroidery, Papercroc, and Woodenwings. From left: Woodenwings, Feathersnake, and Tigerbroidery These are one-off concept watches, so both availability and price are moot points. But they are impressive, both in terms of technique and visuals, so I imagine Vacheron Constantin will be turning to these artisans for more watches eventually. All are striking, but a few stand out. Papercroc might well be my favourite of the lot, though Vacheron Constantin missed the opportunity to make a paper tiger. On the other hand, when the exotic technique on a tiny scale and quality of the result are taken together, Tigerbroidery is arguably one of Vacheron Constantin’s greatest achievements in the rare crafts field. Others stand out for the technique