Reviving the Perpetual Calendar
The perpetual calendar has always been one of the most classic complications in horology. It was first integrated into a wristwatch in 1925, by none other than Patek Philippe. For much of the 20th century, perpetual calendars remained scarce, on account of their niche appeal and the specialised skillset needed to design and assemble one. In the wake of the Quartz Crisis, these complicated pieces continued to be exceedingly rare, as their very purpose came under threat. Indeed, this seismic event had decimated the watchmaking industry, with the number of watchmakers in Switzerland having dropped from 1,600 to 600.
However, against all odds, the perpetual calendar experienced a revival towards the end of the 20th century. Within the span of seven years, between 1978 and 1985, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe all introduced their own ultra-thin, automatic perpetual calendars. These were amongst the first perpetual calendars to be produced in a series. This marked a fundamental departure with the past, when each of the manufactures from “Holy Trinity” of watchmaking would only have produced a few dozen of these pieces a year, at the very most. This signified a renewed faith in the future of complicated horology.
Whilst Audemars Piguet were the first out of the gate in 1978, it is believed that Vacheron Constantin unveiled their automatic, ultra-thin perpetual calendar wristwatch in 1983. Rather frustratingly for Patek Philippe, this was two years before they came out with their own reference 3940. As a starting point, Vacheron Constantin used the mythical Jaeger-LeCoultre 920, which was the thinnest automatic movement in the world when it came out in 1967. They then reworked a perpetual calendar module from Dubois-Depraz, a famed module manufacturer, who has supplied Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin, amongst others. The result was the Caliber 1120 QP, which remains in production to this day, albeit in an updated form.
A Skeletonised Approach
One year after their initial reference 43031, Vacheron Constantin introduced the reference 43032, distinguished by its skeletonised design. The manufacture estimates that around 150 skeletonised watches were produced in platinum, with 130 of those bearing white subdials and 20 bearing blue subdials. A handful of pieces were also produced with diamonds on the bezel or dial.
The tradition of skeletonised watches dates back to 1760, when the French watchmaker André Charles Caron revealed the inner workings of a watch for customers to view by peeling back the watch dial. Since then, skeletonised watches have only begun to pick up in popularity over the last few years, demonstrating both the watchmaker’s skill and a growing public fascination with how watches work.
The Design
With its ornate, skeletonised design, this Vacheron Constantin reference 43032 is an intricately made piece that lays the secrets of watchmaking bare. From the dial to the open caseback, the watch creates space for the interplay of light and metal, providing a captivating visual depth. The exposed mechanics display an impressive level of hand-finishing, with vertical brushing, mirror polish and bevelling visible on most of the surfaces. Many of the components, both at the front and back, feature a traditional hand-engraving in a floral pattern, which is subtle and refined.
There are four sub-dials present, as is traditional with the style of perpetual calendars, noting day, month, and date, as well as moonphase. For greater legibility, the subdials are rendered in plain white. The moonphase that can be found on this Ref. 43032 is made from lapis lazuli, a deep blue metamorphic rock that adds a small spark of colour to an otherwise pared-back colour palette.
The feuille-style hands are rendered in a similar shade as the watch case, their shape allowing for a slight contrast in depth compared to the rest of the watch. The reference 43032 makes use of a 48-month sub-dial, allowing the wearer to track what stage of the four-year cycle they’re in, and allows for more precision in tracking the changing years over a longer period of time.
The Movement
This Vacheron Constantin 43032 is powered by the 1120QP, an illustrious movement introduced in 1983 that built on the high-quality JLC 920 ébauche. With the help of famed Swiss complications specialist, Dubois Dépraz, the perpetual calendar module remains in use today, with the most recent perpetual calendars produced by the brand still running on this movement.
The 1120QP is an ultra-thin, self-winding movement that is fitted with an open-worked oscillating weight that bears the signature Maltese Cross. The piece has around 40-hours of power reserve.
