Retrogrades are your friend. They’re my friend, too. Which is just as well, because Vacheron Constantin are going back and giving this alternative time display, some time in the sunlight.

Meet the new Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date (aka Reference 4000U/000P-H003), which is a riff on a familiar historical theme for Vacheron Constantin that goes back to vintage pocket watches, retrograde indication-wise, but the combination of white metal and salmon dial also goes back awhile – back to the 1940s, although followers of the brand will recall more modern occasional examples. The combination of white precious metal and salmon-coloured dial is a particular one for Vacheron, who use the latter colour only in their platinum pieces.

This new model is in a 42.5mm sized platinum 950 case with a salmon-coloured dial featuring a sunburst pattern. Looking at the dial, underneath 12 o’clock is the Maltese cross in 18K N pink gold, with sand-blasted facetted sides. The minutes track features circular graining. The two retrograde indications (the day and date of the name) have blued steel hands, and the hour and minute hands are 18K white gold and slightly curved to follow the curvature of the dial.

The Patrimony retrograde day-date is powered by the in-house automatic Calibre 2460 R31R7/3 i has a 22k gold open-worked rotor and beats at 28,800 VPH with a power reserve of 40 hours. The bridges are finished with hand-polished angles, and there is straight-graining, circular-graining, and the bridges have the Côtes de Genève.

Coming on a dark blue Mississippiensis alligator strap with calf lining on a 950 platinum pin buckle, it will be limited in annual production and a boutique-only piece. It is, as they say, what it says on the tin with this watch – an elegant retrograde comfotable-to-wear dress watch with a salmon dial and in a precious metal.

Categories: Hands-on, Platinum, Vacheron Constantin, Watch Profile, watches, Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023