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Hands-On The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual-Time

The Geneva manufacture's luxury sports watch gets a new complication.

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Back at Dubai Watch Week 2017, Vacheron Constantin added a dual-time watch back to the Overseas collection (after having phased out the previous model along with the rest of the old Overseas). What we've got here is a new and improved watch that utilizes an in-house movement too. Fortunately for me, I had the opportunity to see the newest pieces up close and personal, and they did not disappoint one bit.

The stainless steel version with a blue dial.

The Overseas has always been a bit of a polarizing collection. Some people love it, some people don’t. I think this simply comes down to people having a hard time accepting a sports watch from Vacheron Constantin, a manufacture traditionally known for dress watches and complications. I mean, why buy a Vacheron Constantin when you could buy a Rolex, right? But I think that way oversimplifies the question and, frankly, misses the mark by quite a bit. When the Overseas was relaunched two years ago, we got a collection that was plenty sporty but also with serious Vacheron movements inside and lots of extra detailing outside. Vacheron was able to capture the true essence of what people wanted in a sport watch – reliable, wearable, practical – in an elegant way, especially with the Ultra-Thin.

The profile of the Overseas Dual-Time is rather thick and measures 12.8mm.

This brings me to the latest Overseas. The dual-time or GMT complication is one of my all time favorites. It’s practical, it’s useful, and it’s cool. This Vacheron Overseas is no different. The watch itself comes in pink gold or stainless steel and features the same Overseas case that we know and love. It has the notched bezel, tonneau-form case, and brushed finish. The case for the Dual-Time measures 41mm in diameter and 12.8mm thick.

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Now, when you read 12.8mm, it doesn’t sound like much, but I can tell you when you see this watch in the metal it certainly looks and wears on the heftier side. For me personally, it felt too robust, and I would like to have this in a 38mm case that measures no more than 11mm thick, but alas, that is not the case and realistically my wrists are a lot daintier than those of most of you reading this article right now. But I digress.

The movement is the automatic caliber 5110 DT. 

The rose gold on the wrist. 

Thickness aside, the watch looks great on the wrist. It has the cool factor you want, and the brushed steel works well. The watch comes with a few dial options – silver and blue for stainless steel and champagne for the rose gold version – and the second time zone is nicely displayed by a fourth hand anchored in the center of the dial. It is changed by the second crown located at four o’clock There is also a subsidiary dial for the date display, which is a nice touch (read: no date window) and the AM/PM indicator. Now I know that the AM/PM indicator is practical, I do, but I wish this weren’t there. To me, this dial would be so perfect if it was just the subsidiary seconds and the fourth hand, because simple is best. But to circle back, practicality is what we are going for here, so I am going to let it slide.

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The stainless steel version with interchangeable rubber strap. 

The movement is the automatic caliber 5110 DT, which is a variation on the existing caliber 5100 that was introduced in 2016 with the Overseas Self-Winding. The case is a sapphire crystal case back, which we all love and know so no surprises there. The Dual-Time also features the same special interlocking bracelet system that the Overseas are known for. For me this is such a nice option because it allows for options and wearability. It comes with the stainless steel bracelet, rubber strap, and alligator strap. And isn’t that all we want in our watches?

The Overseas Dual-Time is a decidedly luxury take on a sports watch.

The prices for these watches are $24,700 for either steel version and $39,500 for the rose gold. While neither price is cheap, you've got to remember that this is Vacheron we're talking about. And while you're buying a tool watch of sorts, you are buying a luxury tool watch, and that’s okay! It’s just a different thing from the GMT-Masters and other dual-time watches out there. But regardless, I think that this is a great addition to the Overseas collection that will doubtlessly become one of its cornerstones.

For more, visit Vacheron Constantin online.