SOLD-Vacheron Constantin Overseas chronograph 49150 Engine Magazine

WRIST ICONS brings you the most collectible modern Vacheron Constantin Overseas chronograph. This is the coolest Overseas model out there. Only a couple of these have appeared on the market. What makes this so collectible is beside its rarity also the first time that vacheorn Constantin made use of a couple of exotic materials. Not only did they use titanium for the bezel, but the dial was also produced in carbon.

This watch was made as as a special limited edition of only 50 pieces for the Japanse car magazine called Engine Magazine

Design roots of the Overseas

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas design is based on Georg Hysek 1970s design the integrated bracelet 222. This reference nowadays can compete with the most iconic stainless steel integrated sport watches of the big Maisons made by Gerald Genta for Audemars Piquet and Patek Philippe, the Royal Oak and Nautilus.

Vacheron their 222 was similar for Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, a radical breakaway from their traditional dress watches. Its design features consisted of a thin, tonneau shaped case with a notched round bezel and a tiny Maltese cross inlaid at 5 o’clock. The 222 was discontinued in the mid 1980s and followed by the 33 and Phidias. The design of these pieces did not stood the test of time like the 22 which nowadays has become a highly collectible reference.

1^st Generation Overseas (1996-2004)

In 1996 Vacheron Constantin came with a really successful sport watch which was highly influenced by the design of the 222. This was the Overseas. This model was first introduced as time only watch. Nowadays we call the Ref. 42040, 42042 and Ref. 42050, 42052 the first generation Overseas models. These piece were basically made in steel and yellow gold in the case size of mostly 37 and 35mm. Produced from 1996 to 2004 the 37mm Overseas was powered by the caliber 1310 (cal 1311), a COSC certified version of the ultra-flat automatic Girard-Perregaux 3100 featuring a quickset date, 150M water resistance and hacking seconds.

Ref. 42040 (37mm) and ref. 42050 (35mm) were the first to be produced. The reference number changed to ref. 42042 (37mm) and ref. 42052 (35mm) when the movement was upgraded from the caliber 1310  to the caliber 1311. Both case sizes share the same movement and we’ll look at this in detail later on.

Introduction of the Overseas Chronograph (1999)

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas 49140 was introduced in 1999 and discontinued 5 years later, when it was replaced by the 49150 generation. It was the brand's first sports chronograph. This 1^st generation Overseas Chronograph Antimagnetic has a mechanical automatic self-winding Vacheron & Constantin caliber 1137 (based on the Frederick Piguet caliber 1185) column wheel chronograph movement Genève embellishment. It's constructed with 37 jewels, a straight-line lever escapement, and a shock absorber mechanism.   

2^nd Generation Overseas 92004-2016)

A second version of the Overseas was launched in 2004, with a more modern design, notably with its metal bracelet featuring a half Maltese cross motif and optimized for greater comfort.

In 2006, a dual time Overseas was added to the collection, featuring second time zone, power reserve, day night and date indications. This useful (and somehow awaited complication given the travel background of the collection) was indicated by the VC1222 based on the JLC 920 that is also used by Audemars Piguet for the Royal Oak reference 26120.

3nd Generation Overseas (2016)

In 2016 Vacheron Constantin presented the 3^rd generation of the Overseas model. The design was more refined and reminiscent of the 22. Under the hood they made some upgrades too. Now Vacheron Constantin Overseas model have an in house caliber instead of outsourced caliber or ebauche. The Maltese-cross bezel now has 6 notches versus 8 previously and spread out to the very rim of the case. The case back no longer features naval engravings but a sapphire crystal revealing mechanics worth a close look: 3 new in-house movements, new complications and the return of a horological classic, the VC1120. Really quite something all the more as all new models bear the Geneva Seal and are fitted with convenient interchangeable straps/bracelets.

Comparing 2^nd and 3^rd Generation

The main differences are the upgrade in the movement and bracelet of the 3^rd generation. But this also comes with a couple of disadvantages. the 2^nd generation has the date window at 12 o’clock which is one of the unique selling points of the 1^st and 2^nd generation Overseas Chronograph models. The date window at 4 o’clock is not very much favored by collectors. Thereby the in house movement with the glass caseback also add extra thickness to the 3^rd generation models (13,70mm for the 3^rd and 12.45 mm). And one of the main benefits of the original concept of an integrated bracelet sport watch was the sleek profile on the wrist. Despite its 42mm size, the VCO 2^nd gen wears like a smaller watch. It has a low center of gravity with a slim, low case that has a big contact patch on the wrist.

The Engine Magazine Limited Edition

The design of the dial is very clearly inspired by automobiles, imitating the look of the speedometer and dashboard. The centre of the dial is constructed from carbon fibre, giving the watch a distinctive texture that is in keeping with its aesthetic and inspiration. The watch also makes use of stainless steel for the case and bracelet and titanium for bezel, as indicated by “Ss/Ti” on the caseback of the watch. It is believed that this was the first time that Vacheron Constantin used carbon fibre and titanium in this way, for the dial and bezel, speaking to the spirit of experimentation embodied by this watch.

There are subtle design cues on the bezel and surrounding ring of the watch that also reference cars, such as “Engine Start” and “Km/h – Base 1km”, while accents on the watch are rendered in bright red and white. Further to this, the dial’s chronograph indicators are positioned in the same way that a car’s would be, with their zero positions aligned at 7:30, rather than at 12 o’clock. Visually, this gives the impression that the chronograph is sitting on the start line, ready to race into motion. An intriguing fusion of cars and watches, this piece is an excellent visual representation of the overlap between both interests and is ideal for the collector who has a deep passion for both.

Notes & Conditions:

This is a really fine looking Vacheron Constantin Overseas chronograph. This watch just came imported from Japan and has been serviced. It is a really nice watch that you can use as a daily wearer.

• Case: Brushed Finished Stainless Steel Case With A Gorgeous Titanium Bezel With The Maltese Cross Design. This excellent case that has been polished and shows light wear from use. Polished steel luminous hands & hour markers.
• Caseback:. Stainless Steel Solid Case Back Is Engraved With a ventilator or air coller of a car and has limited eition on it as well as stainless steel and titanium.. The caseback has some hairline scratches but in great condition
•  
• Bezel: comes with an excellent gorgeous blasted titanium bezel which is great condition

• Dial and hands: a black carbon dial with red and white numbers and letters. The running seconds sub dial has “Automatic” and “Antimagnetic” printed on it. Large double-window Date displayed at the 12 o'clock position. The size of the sub dials differ from each other!! But most notable is that the counters of the hours, minutes and seconds align at 7 o’clock reminiscent of the dashboard of a car. It has polished steel luminous hands & hour markers. 12 Hour Chronograph/stopwatch:
  • Large central seconds counter.
  • 30 minute counter sub-dial at the 3 o'clock position.
  • 12 hour counter sub-dial at the 9 o'clock position.
  • Small seconds sub-dial at the 6 o'clock position.
• Movement: automatic caliber 1137 (based on Frédéric Piguet/Blancpain Caliber 1185); 40-hour power reserve; 21,600 vph/3 Hz frequency; column wheel chronograph with vertical clutch
• Functions: hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds; two-window big date; 30-minute and 12-hour continuous chronograph
• Bracelet: Cross pattern full bracelet

Overall, the exceptional finishing of the Vacheron Constantin Engine Magazine chronograph is noteworthy, both for its design and execution.

As with all of our pre-owned watches this watch comes with a full 12 month WRIST ICONS warranty that will be invoked from the day of purchase.  Please check our website to have a look at the high resolution pictures on a macro level. You will see every detail at its best.

Viewings can be arranged at our office by appointment.

Specifications:

• Brand: Vacheron Constantin
• Model: Overseas Chronograph Engine Magazine   
• Reference: 49150/B01M-9251
• Serial number: 11324xx
• Year: 2007
• caliber: Automatic mechanical caliber 1137 with date aperture waterproof screw down crown
• Movement No: 51231xx
• Case: It has a stainless steel case with screw down case back
• Dimensions: 42mm diameter;
• Case thickness: 12.45 mm including plexi-glass crystal
• Case back: stainless steel solid caseback
• Water resistance: Water Resistant To 150 Meters (500 Feet) / 15 ATM
• Bezel: excellent titanium blasted bezel
• Crystal: sapphire glass
• Box/Papers: yes
• Bracelet: steel Maltese Cross pattern full bracelet
• Seller Warranty: 12 Months factory warranty