Ascending To New Heights: The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Everest Chronograph Ref. 5510V/000T-B923

When I think about the Vacheron Constantin Overseas, I think of the integrated bracelet stainless steel sport watch, and a worthy alternative to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus. Yes, there have been numerous variations of the Overseas, including chronographs, perpetual calendars, and precious metal versions. But generally, the original, stainless steel, integrated bracelet version remains the most iconic, and yes, sought after. However, that might not actually be the case with the Overseas. In 2022, the brand released two bracelet-less titanium variations of the Overseas. This limited edition was a follow-up to a prototype Dual Time version worn by climber Cory Richards a few years earlier when he climbed Mount Everest.

History

The Vacheron Constantin Overeseas is often considered alongside the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. Unlike the the Royal Oak and Nautilus, the Overseas was not designed by Gerald Genta. And the Overseas wasn’t released until 1996, 20 years after the Nautilus and 24 years after the Royal Oak. So the fact that it is spoken of alongside such icons speaks to the status Vacheron Constantin has achieved as a brand, and the Overseas has achieved as a collection.

And like the Nautilus and Royal Oak, Vacheron has used the Overseas as a platform to really explore different designs, complications and materials. This can be seen in the rose gold Overseas Perpetual Calendar Skeleton to the Overseas Tourbillon. Clearly, if you are looking for an iconic sport watch with complications, the Overseas offers collectors many options, often at price-points just a little more competitive than those from Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe.

The Overseas Everest Chronograph Ref. 5510V/000T-B923 is worthy addition to the Overseas catalog, and the back story only adds additional intrigue. In 2019, Climber and photographer Cory Richards climbed a new route of Everest while wearing a titanium Overseas Dual Time prototype. The watch garnered a lot of interest but was not made available for regular production. Fast forward to 2022 and Vacheron finally released a limited edition of the Overseas Dual Time Everest as well as another limited edition, the titanium Overseas Chronograph Everest Limited Edition, which I am reviewing here.

Design Details

While the Overseas Chronograph Everest is not an exact recreation of the watch worn by Richards on his Everest climb, it carries a lot of the same aesthetics. First, it has a titanium case and a grey Cordura fabric strap. This gives the watch a much more sporty feel, a lot more so than your standard stainless steel Overseas.

Like the Dual Time, the Chronograph also features a grainy grey/blue dial. It is incredibly unique and adds some additional ruggedness to the design. The dial features a traditional three subdial chronograph with a pop of orange on the chronograph seconds hand and minutes. This does a good job breaking up an otherwise fairly monotone watch. I am not sure if this was intentional, but it reminds me of the GMT hand on the Rolex Explorer II. And given that the Overseas is a watch worn by “an explorer” it makes sense.

Inner Workings

The Overseas Chronograph Everest runs on the Caliber 5200 automatic movement. This is the standard in-house movement featured in all modern Overseas chronographs. It is very well decorated, features 54 jewels and has 52 hours of power reserve.

The most interesting part of the movement is probably the rotor. The gold rotor features an engraving of Mount Everest. It’s a nice tribute to Richards’ expedition, even though this watch was not the exact reference that actually made the Everest trek.

Versus the Competition

The Overseas Chronograph Everest is limited to just 150 pieces, so it is much harder to come by and comes at a premium over other Overseas Chronograph models. Because of this, the more standard Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph Ref. 5500V/110A-B148 is a great alternative. It comes on Vacheron’s beautiful integrated stainless steel bracelet and with a blue sunray dial. And the best part? It is about half the price of the Everest Chronograph

If you are looking for something with a similar aesthetic to the Overseas Everest Chronograph, perhaps the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Ref. 26730TI is for you. Like the Overseas, it comes in a titanium case. But the Royal Oak also has a titanium bracelet as well. Additionally, the Royal Oak has a grey/blue grain dial, which is very similar to that of the Everest Chronograph. It may be a little bit bluer and the finishing a little bit smoother, but it is still incredibly well done. And of course, the Royal Oak comes with a tourbillon complication, which raises the status of the watch into grail territory.

Personality

At 42.5mm in diameter, one might think that that Ref. 5510V/000T-B923 might wear large. But even with a 51mm lug-to-lug measurement, the fact that it is available only on a fabric or rubber strap means that it wears a little bit smaller. And that’s alright with me. I also love the fact that this watch is not offered on a titanium bracelet, as you’d expect. This watch is meant to be an actual tool, able to brave the elements of Everest. And a fabric strap is just all the more practical. Kudos to Vacheron Constantin for doing what makes the most sense, not just what might be the most popular.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for for a sporty take on an iconic design, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Everest Chronograph Ref. 5510V/000T-B923 is a great option. Besides being an incredibly interesting aesthetic take on a classic design, it also has quite the story to go along with it. The titanium watch segment is growing, but it’s nice to see Vacheron Constantin offer something different to the category. Plus, I have always wanted to trek to Everest Base Camp (I don’t think I would ever try climbing the actual mountain), so having something horologically related to the mountain is incredibly intriguing.

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