We continue with the novelties presented at Watches and Wonders 2026 with the new Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin. Although it is a new model from one of the Vacheron Constantin collections that I like most, the big news is actually the calibre inside. This new watch is the perfect occasion to introduce a new ultra-thin automatic movement, the Calibre 2550, which offers an 80-hour power reserve with a thickness of just 2.4 mm.
Seven years of research and development, aimed at improving performance, resulted in the design of an innovative architecture that combines a micro-rotor, a suspended double barrel, and a compact single-level gear train. The Calibre 2550 debuts in a new watch crafted in 950 platinum with a 39.5 mm diameter: the Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin.
“Vacheron Constantin’s expertise in ultra-thin movements reflects a technical mastery dedicated to watchmaking elegance. The Maison has developed significant expertise in the miniaturization of mechanical calibres, both in the field of complications and in watches showing the essential indications of time.
In 1955, on the occasion of its bicentenary, Vacheron Constantin introduced the Calibre 1003, a manual-winding movement just 1.64 mm thick, a symbol of watchmaking excellence and the perfect balance between extreme miniaturization, reliability, and finishing quality. In 1968, the self-winding Calibre 1120 was presented, with a height of just 2.45 mm. Bearing the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva, it is still considered a masterpiece today for its thinness and the technical solutions it offers in terms of reliability and precision. Thanks to its ingenious and harmonious architecture, it has remained for decades the reference ultra-thin movement within the Maison’s catalog, highly appreciated by collectors and connoisseurs of haute horlogerie.”
Calibre 2550
A new calibre in which watchmakers and engineers dedicated seven years to developing solutions aimed at optimizing performance in terms of thinness and autonomy. They designed an assembly composed of three key elements: a micro-rotor, a suspended double barrel, and a compact gear train, allowing this optimization in a reduced space of 30.6 mm in diameter and 2.4 mm in height. A series of rigorous tests, particularly for aging and shock resistance, have been carried out to ensure optimal reliability and precision of this new movement configuration.
- The bidirectional micro-rotor: Integrating the micro-rotor directly into the mainplate provides a significant reduction in thickness. To optimize winding efficiency, it is crafted from 950 platinum.
- The suspended double barrel: Along with the micro-rotor, the suspended double barrel offers an 80-hour power reserve, an exceptional figure for a movement of such reduced thickness. Although situated one on top of the other, the two barrels operate in series, coupled through their respective shafts.
- A compact single-level gear train.
The ultra-thin automatic calibre 2550 benefits from hand-finishing carried out in the purest tradition of haute horlogerie. The mainplate features a circular-grained finish, while the beveled bridges are decorated with Geneva stripes. The upper barrel drum has a coiled finish, in harmony with the satin-brushed barrel drum visible on the dial. The wheels feature a sunburst finish. The micro-rotor features a circular satin finish on its periphery, a grained inner surface, and a polished motif evoking a wind rose.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin
The new Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin model features a case, bracelet, and clasp crafted in 950 platinum, a first for the collection. The 950 platinum alloy used contains 5% copper and gallium, a composition still rare in the watchmaking world. Thanks to a thermal hardening treatment that improves its mechanical properties, this optimized alloy offers a resistance 2.7 times greater than the 950 platinum typically used in the industry. With greater strength and hardness, the watch offers enhanced resistance to scratches and shocks.
With a refined, almost minimalist aesthetic, this watch features a salmon-colored lacquered dial with a sunburst satin-brushed finish, complemented by a peripheral minute track with a velvet finish. The harmonious combination of platinum with the salmon-colored dial is part of the Maison’s tradition, embodied in several historical models from the 1940s. More recently, it recalls the traditional perpetual calendar chronograph presented in 2022.
Following in the footsteps of the ultra-thin 2000V model in white gold launched in 2016, the Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin features a reduced diameter of 39.5 mm. With a thickness of 7.35 mm, it becomes the thinnest Overseas model ever created.
It retains the attributes of the Overseas collection, including three tool-free interchangeable straps: a beige rubber strap, a dark beige alligator leather strap with a “nubuck effect” finish, and a 950 platinum bracelet.
Price
For now, the price is unknown. Vacheron Constantin
