The Most Complicated Watch in the World
The most complicated watch in the world.
Not long ago, I wrote a post about the most complicated Patek Philippe watch. I thought it was the most complicated watch in the world, with 33 complications.
But I was wrong (I do not even know which emoji to put here).
It turns out there is an even more complicated watch: the Vacheron Constantin Reference 57260. It was commissioned by a private collector. Three watchmaking teams spent eight years creating it. The watch is valued at $10 million. It is one of a kind, but a complete set of spare parts was produced to cover warranty repairs. In theory, those spares could be used to build another identical watch.
The watch has two dials. One carries 19 hands, the other 12. It consists of 2,826 parts, 2,601 of which are moving components. Assembling the finished parts alone took the watchmakers 20 months.
The watch has 57 complications. I will not list them all (you can easily google them), but here are the main categories:
- Six timekeeping functions;
- Seven perpetual calendar functions;
- Eight Hebrew calendar functions;
- Nine astronomical calendar functions;
- One lunar calendar function;
- One religious calendar function;
- Four chronograph functions with three column wheels;
- Seven alarm functions;
- Eight Westminster chime functions;
- Six other functions.
Some of the most interesting complications are the Hebraic perpetual calendar, astronomical indications, the double retrograde rattrapante chronograph and several striking modes. The watch was also programmed, at its owner’s request, not to disturb him with audible signals between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.
