New Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Watches, Now in Blue
It’s been a little over a month since SIHH 2019 wrapped up. Now that the dust has settled, we can look back at the event’s novelties at a less frantic pace and highlight some of the watches that were overshadowed by the bigger releases. Case in point is the pair of new Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix watches in a fresh blue colorway.
The Fiftysix Collection by Vacheron Constantin
Vacheron Constantin’s youngest collection, the Fiftysix made its debut only last year at SIHH 2018 as the brand’s entry-level offering. Vacheron revealed three models of the Fiftysix at launch time: a complete calendar, a day-date, and a time and date self-winding. Each model is offered in either pink gold or stainless steel.
Although the Fiftysix is recent, the watches take their design cues from the vintage Vacheron ref. 6073 from 1956, which explains the name. And as a young collection, it is only natural that plenty additional models will join the lineup over the next few years to flesh out the range. With that, let’s meet the pair of new blue beauties.
Blue Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self-Winding
To start, we have the Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self-Winding (ref. 4600E/000A-B487) fitted with a petrol blue dial–a first for the Fiftysix. On that dial, we see the old school sector style dial characteristic of the collection, complete with alternating Arabic numerals and luminous baton hour markers. A great touch is the sunken date window, which is also in blue to retain subtlety. To match the dial, the new Fiftysix Self-Winding is presented on a blue alligator strap with a steel deployant buckle.
Except for the new dial and bracelet shades, all the other details of the watch remain the same. There’s the well-proportioned 40 mm case in stainless steel with a trim 9.6 mm profile. Protecting the dial is the retro-inspired box-type crystal protruding above the bezel, but, of course, made from modern scratch-resistant sapphire rather than traditional acrylic. Turn the watch around and you’ll see yet another sapphire crystal shielding the automatic Caliber 1326 with Côtes de Genève finishing and Vacheron’s emblematic Maltese Cross on the rotor.
Blue Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Complete Calendar
The other model to get the blue dial and blue strap treatment is the new Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Complete Calendar (ref. 4000E/000A-B548). As its name suggests, the dial is home to plenty of information from the date around the periphery indicated via a center hand to the duo of day and month windows to the precise moon phase display boasting 122-year accuracy. Look closely at the blue face and you’ll notice the use of different textures—opaline, sunburst, and snailed—in each of the three sectors for added richness and depth.
The stainless steel case of the Fiftysix Complete Calendar measures the same 40 mm in diameter. But it is slighter thicker at 11.6 mm to accommodate the automatic Caliber 2460 QCL/1 working away inside the watch.
