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Vacheron Constantin has just released the most complicated wristwatch in the world, Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication.It has 41 complications across time indications, a tourbillon, a perpetual calendar, chronographs, and astronomical indicators, including one that’s never been done before.It’s now available for inquiry, with each watch being customisable for every owner.Vacheron Constantin has nothing to prove. It's the oldest watch brand with an uninterrupted existence, it's constantly acknowledged as a member of watchmaking's Holy Trinity, and it created the Berkley Grand Complication which is the most complicated watch in the world with 63 distinct complications. But as impressive as the Berkley is, its owner isn’t able to wear it on his wrist. That's what the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication changes after eight years in development, as with 41 complications, it's now the most complicated wristwatch ever constructed, and one of those functions has never been seen before. What a way to celebrate 270 years, hey?A simple look at the dial of the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication is enough to tell you that there's something special about this watch, but it's not immediately apparent just how much functionality is crammed into its 45mm, 18k white gold case that's only 14.99mm thick. To ram home just how insane that thickness is, that's still thinner than a lot of automatic chronographs and dive watches out there. To have the world's most complicated watch be actually wearable is, for me, much more impressive than any watch breaking a record for ultra-thinness (sorry, Bulgari). It would take an unreasonable amount of time to even list all of the complications, let alone explain each of them (we might undertake that in another article), so let's focus on the highlights.Astronomical complications have been garnering more focus in recent years. Perhaps collectors have simply grown tired of the same tourbillons, minute repeaters and perpetual calendars that get prioritised, but there's certainly a romance and majesty to understanding the universe that dictates our experience of time. Astronomy has been inherently tied to both timekeeping and navigation for as long as humans have been able to conceptualise such things. The brand-new complication that Vacheron Constantin has unveiled is actually located on the caseback and utilises the celestial vault etched into a sapphire crystal. When combined with the split-seconds chronograph, you can figure out when a constellation (or any other particular celestial object) will appear in the centre of your night sky.Perhaps a more practical group of astronomical complications appears on the dial at 6 o'clock. all relating to the Sun. Depicted by a golden orb in relation to Earth and its equator, the position of the sun is shown in real time wherever you are in the world. Its height, time of culmination (solar noon, when it is highest in the sky), and angle of declination (the variation between the winter and summer solstices) are all on display at your convenience. It may take a little time to get used to reading it if you're not already familiar with astronomical terms, but it's surprisingly intuitive once you can relate it to real-life scenarios.The movement of the Solaria, which is the Calibre 3655, is comprised of 1,521 components and has a 72-hour power reserve with a 3Hz beat rate. You can gather from its name that it’s astronomically focused, and yet it does also count among its complications a Westminster minute repeater with four gongs and hammers, a tourbillon, a perpetual calendar, a second time zone and a world time display that includes high and low tides Sufficed to say, there's a lot going on, and you'll likely be keeping the manual by your bedside table for a few months before you master all of its offerings. Along with the case's wearability, another fascinating aspect of the Solaria Ultra Grand Complication is its legibility. Despite offering more information than any other wristwatch in history, your eye can easily find whatever it needs to without being overwhelmed. Plus, if you just want to know what time it is, there are hands and hour markers to do so.Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication price and availabilityWhile the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication is now available to purchase, no price or limited availability has yet been assigned. Each watch will be made to order upon customer request with bespoke options to keep every individual piece unique.BrandVacheron ConstantinModelLes Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand ComplicationCase Dimensions45mm (D) x 14.99mm (T)Case Material18k white goldWater ResistanceNoneDialBlackCrystalSapphire front and backStrapLeather-backed fabric strap with green stitchingMovementCalibre 3655, in-house, hand-woundPower Reserve72 hoursFunctions41 complications, including 6 for time measurement, 8 for the Gregorian perpetual calendar, 3 for lunar indication, 14 astronomical indicators, 5 repeating complications, 4 chronograph functions, and a power reserve indicatorAvailabilityAvailable for inquiry nowPricePrice upon request
01.04.25