Vacheron Constantin Reference 57260

About this reference

Commissioned for a private collector and unveiled in 2015 to mark the brand’s 260th anniversary, the Vacheron Constantin Reference 57260 is a unique piece that is not in serial production. It is documented as the most complicated mechanical watch ever made, featuring 57 complications housed within an 18k white gold case measuring 98mm in diameter and 50.55mm in thickness. The manual-wind Calibre 3750 contains 2,826 components and 242 jewels, incorporating a double retrograde split-seconds chronograph and multiple calendars, including a Hebraic perpetual calendar. Because it is a unique commission, it does not trade on the open secondary market; however, its estimated manufacturing cost was approximately $8 million to $10 million. A notable production detail is that it required eight years of development by three master watchmakers to complete. The watch remains a singular historical benchmark for high-complication horology.