The Harmony Tourbillon Chronograph is issued in a highly exclusive series of 26 individually numbered timepieces. Housed in a 950 platinum cushion-shaped case, Vacheron Constantin Caliber 3200, bearing the Hallmark of Geneva, features a bridge hand-engraved with delicate scrolling patterns, specially created to set apart the exclusive series dedicated to the 260th anniversary of the Manufacture.
This new movement entirely designed, developed and produced in the Manufacture benefits from a number of technological breakthroughs enhancing its precision and reliability. In addition to a traditional architecture, its column wheel and its lateral coupling clutch, the new Caliber 3200, driving the hours, minutes, small seconds, tourbillon, monopusher chronograph and power-reserve indications, is particularly innovative.
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Among the major evolutions is an uncompromisingly dynamic chronograph-activation system: the gears and cams cannot be set into motion without actually starting the mechanism, thereby considerably optimising the durability and reliability of the movement. Moreover, thanks to a new “friction” technique for the lateral coupling clutch, the chronograph seconds hand avoids the little jerk that tends to occur when the chronograph is activated. In addition, the sliding-type lateral pusher ensures improved control of the chronograph functions.
With the aim of substantially enhancing the precision of the operational sequences, the chronograph uses two hammers instead of one for the start, stop and reset functions.
The cone-shaped gear between winding pinion and the crown wheel enables extremely smooth, gentle winding, while the spherical differential (also fitted with a cone-shaped gear) serving to indicate the power reserve also prolongs the movement’s life cycle. The contemporary production methods made it possible to produce an extremely precise wheel profile guaranteeing that clearance between the gears is kept to an absolute minimum thanks to teeth separated by a mere 0.03 mm!
Endowed with a 65-hour power reserve, this hand-winding movement is composed of 292 parts, all hand-decorated in keeping with the rules of the watchmaking art. Instead of being driven by the pinion of the seconds wheel, the tourbillon carriage is set into motion by an intermediate wheel of the running seconds display. This configuration enables an extremely broad opening onto the upper plate, thus affording an even more spectacular view of the tourbillon. The Research & Development team also opted for an oscillating frequency of 2.5 Hz (18,000 vph) in order to guarantee a serene cadence. Thanks to this slow, steady pace, the ultra-light tourbillon composed of 49 parts provides generous views of its airy ballet through an extremely wide opening in the opaline dial.
The watch is fitted with a Blue Mississippiensis alligator leather strap, hand-stitched, and equipped with a Platinum 950 triple blade folding clasp.
