Hi Folks,
Easter is bringing me 4 days off : the best occasion to start a new review...
Let me wish you all Happy Easter Days.
Today I'd like to share my experience of one of my latest aquisition : the Vacheron Constantin Malte Retrograding Perpetual Calendar.
Also known as VCMRPC :mrgreen:
This rep has taken a particular place in both my collection and heart, as it is a gift from RWC's admins for my participation in this unique board, which most of you know has closed its door now. Fortunately I'm able to cross its members regularly here and on RWG
So before starting, I'd like to reiterate my thanks to D4M and JB as well as to the whole RWC's remarkable team... And reiterate my regrets that it has not really taken off. Something was missing, but definitely not its fantastic members.
How did I choose this model ?
I was lucky enough to be asked by D4M what would be the rep I would like to get, in the "Asian range". I immediately thought about a Vacheron Constantin. They are amongst the reps which are most often great watches for a fair price, and usually decent as far as replication is concerned. I also used to own a Vacheron Constantin with Retrograding date, which was quite close to this one except the day, month and year. I had to let it go as it suffered from some rotor issues but I've always thought I would get one again. This prize/gift was the best occasion to go for a slightly nicer one : the Malte Retrograding Perpetual Calendar.
How is it as a watch ?
Bigger than the Retrograding calendar : 40 mm which is IMO a perfect dimension for a dressy watch. Not huge, not too small. Much thicker however due to its officer flip lid cover. That's definitely a unique "feature". Something which comes from the old pocket watches, and fits with the Vacheron Constantin spirit perfectly. I'll surely have something engraved on the back or the inside. Still making up my mind, despite excellent proposals from the boards members
All features (except the year) are working, which I find quite amazing for an Asian 21J movement. That make the watch complicated to set up and you'll be happy to own a watchwinder to avoid setting it everytime you want to wear it. There are not less 4 pushers + the crown. 3 of those are recessed pushers and make the watch look smarter, I don't think you'd like that much pushers on a dressy watch.
As mentionned, only the year does not work, but of course it can be manually set. That means that it will remind you once a year there's a dummy feature. I think I can live with that However, our friends manufacturers made it live until 2014. Enough for a rep's life ?
The textured dial looks beautiful, and adds to the overall good feeling with this watch. I would maybe have liked a better serigraphy (or are these stickers) for the various texts. But does a textured dial enable this ?
A perfectly flat sapphire crystal make this dial appear very clearly and sharp from any angle. I have learnt to hate the loupe / bottle glass effect which you often see with doomed crystals or simply with mineral glass.
The movement is as lovely as the rest of this timepiece, and nicely machined. It gives the watch a really high quality aspect. It came with stickers on the rotor (Vacheron Constantin Genève) which I removed, as I found this too busy and risky for the movement. Just left the cross : this little golden touch has its charm. No seconds hand, but I must say it's not missing and would have made the dial even more busy. It has the advantage to extend the power reserve usually.
If you look at the caseback, you'll see that the lugs are not perfectly smooth, but you have to look very closely to remark this.
The rep strap was good...for the dustbin, as often.
I have discussed the colour of the new dress with Victoria, and although we both found that black is a faultless choice for Vacheron watches, I went for something else (too much black in my collection I guess). A genuine alligator light brown strap. The grain is quite uncommon for alligator. I'm not dissatisfied at all with this choice. Strange, as the lugsize is 20 and this 22 mm strap (originally bought for an other watch) fits perfectly...
I forgot : it feels quite heavy for a dressy watch. Probably due to the additionnal caseback cover. 96 gr with the strap.
Before going for the second part of this review, let me share the first shots.
And how is it as a rep ?
As most of the Vacheron Constantin reps, it's pretty good at the first glance. Size, dial, hands, the case itself and even the crown look good to me.
However the year wheel is wrong, as the gen consists of 3 wheels against 2 for the rep.
The rep is bigger too : 40 against 38,5.
Although the dial looks off-white on my pictures, it is actually white. So I would say it's pretty well replicated too.
The gen comes in either gold or platine. Here we have polished SS. I don't think it is even white gold if I look at the other WG plated reps I own. It would have made sense to plate it, as there's a subtle aspect difference between polished SS and WG, to the advantage of white gold.
Here stops the accuracy in replication : the movement, although nice, has nothing to do with the original one, which we will all understand However, the fact that it's covered by a solid case can do the trick.
Last thing : there's an other (year ?) window @3 on the gen which does not exist on the rep. The biggest tell actually.
Here are more pictures for comparison.
Finally the wristshot.
Overall a good rep, and a keeper for me !
Easter is bringing me 4 days off : the best occasion to start a new review...
Let me wish you all Happy Easter Days.
Today I'd like to share my experience of one of my latest aquisition : the Vacheron Constantin Malte Retrograding Perpetual Calendar.
Also known as VCMRPC :mrgreen:
This rep has taken a particular place in both my collection and heart, as it is a gift from RWC's admins for my participation in this unique board, which most of you know has closed its door now. Fortunately I'm able to cross its members regularly here and on RWG
So before starting, I'd like to reiterate my thanks to D4M and JB as well as to the whole RWC's remarkable team... And reiterate my regrets that it has not really taken off. Something was missing, but definitely not its fantastic members.
How did I choose this model ?
I was lucky enough to be asked by D4M what would be the rep I would like to get, in the "Asian range". I immediately thought about a Vacheron Constantin. They are amongst the reps which are most often great watches for a fair price, and usually decent as far as replication is concerned. I also used to own a Vacheron Constantin with Retrograding date, which was quite close to this one except the day, month and year. I had to let it go as it suffered from some rotor issues but I've always thought I would get one again. This prize/gift was the best occasion to go for a slightly nicer one : the Malte Retrograding Perpetual Calendar.
How is it as a watch ?
Bigger than the Retrograding calendar : 40 mm which is IMO a perfect dimension for a dressy watch. Not huge, not too small. Much thicker however due to its officer flip lid cover. That's definitely a unique "feature". Something which comes from the old pocket watches, and fits with the Vacheron Constantin spirit perfectly. I'll surely have something engraved on the back or the inside. Still making up my mind, despite excellent proposals from the boards members
All features (except the year) are working, which I find quite amazing for an Asian 21J movement. That make the watch complicated to set up and you'll be happy to own a watchwinder to avoid setting it everytime you want to wear it. There are not less 4 pushers + the crown. 3 of those are recessed pushers and make the watch look smarter, I don't think you'd like that much pushers on a dressy watch.
As mentionned, only the year does not work, but of course it can be manually set. That means that it will remind you once a year there's a dummy feature. I think I can live with that
However, our friends manufacturers made it live until 2014. Enough for a rep's life ?The textured dial looks beautiful, and adds to the overall good feeling with this watch. I would maybe have liked a better serigraphy (or are these stickers) for the various texts. But does a textured dial enable this ?
A perfectly flat sapphire crystal make this dial appear very clearly and sharp from any angle. I have learnt to hate the loupe / bottle glass effect which you often see with doomed crystals or simply with mineral glass.
The movement is as lovely as the rest of this timepiece, and nicely machined. It gives the watch a really high quality aspect. It came with stickers on the rotor (Vacheron Constantin Genève) which I removed, as I found this too busy and risky for the movement. Just left the cross : this little golden touch has its charm. No seconds hand, but I must say it's not missing and would have made the dial even more busy. It has the advantage to extend the power reserve usually.
If you look at the caseback, you'll see that the lugs are not perfectly smooth, but you have to look very closely to remark this.
The rep strap was good...for the dustbin, as often.
I have discussed the colour of the new dress with Victoria, and although we both found that black is a faultless choice for Vacheron watches, I went for something else (too much black in my collection I guess). A genuine alligator light brown strap. The grain is quite uncommon for alligator. I'm not dissatisfied at all with this choice. Strange, as the lugsize is 20 and this 22 mm strap (originally bought for an other watch) fits perfectly...
I forgot : it feels quite heavy for a dressy watch. Probably due to the additionnal caseback cover. 96 gr with the strap.
Before going for the second part of this review, let me share the first shots.
And how is it as a rep ?
As most of the Vacheron Constantin reps, it's pretty good at the first glance. Size, dial, hands, the case itself and even the crown look good to me.
However the year wheel is wrong, as the gen consists of 3 wheels against 2 for the rep.
The rep is bigger too : 40 against 38,5.
Although the dial looks off-white on my pictures, it is actually white. So I would say it's pretty well replicated too.
The gen comes in either gold or platine. Here we have polished SS. I don't think it is even white gold if I look at the other WG plated reps I own. It would have made sense to plate it, as there's a subtle aspect difference between polished SS and WG, to the advantage of white gold.
Here stops the accuracy in replication : the movement, although nice, has nothing to do with the original one, which we will all understand
However, the fact that it's covered by a solid case can do the trick.Last thing : there's an other (year ?) window @3 on the gen which does not exist on the rep. The biggest tell actually.
Here are more pictures for comparison.
Finally the wristshot.
Overall a good rep, and a keeper for me !
