43032P Vacheron Constantin Skeleton Perpetual Calendar

Emma Watson once famously advocated for modesty as the ultimate expression of sexiness. Here’s the quote: ‘What’s sexy about saying, ‘I’m here with my boobs out and a short skirt, have a look at everything I’ve got?’ My idea of sexy is that less is more. The less you reveal the more people can wonder.’ She’s right, mostly. Certainly, she knows more than I do on the topic. But I don’t think the concept is universal. For example, it’s winter. I’m wearing many clothes. Yet, I suspect no one in my Starbucks is wondering what I’d look like without them. I also can’t imagine Xi Jinping (the least sexy person I could think of in five seconds) being pined for by, well, anyone for the same reason. Modesty is not a foundation, you have to back it up. And the most egregious counterargument comes from the Maltese cross.

This is a JLC 920 modified extensively, skeletonized, and finished by hand at VC well enough to earn a Geneva Seal, fully on display. In the words of Ms. Watson, it’s wearing that short skirt, chest proud. And I’m not sure I’ve seen a more gorgeous perpetual calendar. I’m sure I have because in the back of my head I can remember this thing called the 3940, but memory falters when I look at this. The initial QPs from VC are some of the hardest hitting complicated watches in 36mm cases out there. And this, well this one’s not common.

It is thought that 10 to 15 of these skeletonized movements were produced per year, with total numbers well under 500. Further, some speculate as few as 150 examples in this platinum. Most notably, though, just 20 bear these blue subdials. This is one of those twenty. You wanted nerdy? It’s not all odd metaphor and bombastic opinion here, that is some properly niche watch geek stuff. So too is the hand engraved floral pattern adorning many of the base plates. And those blue subdials, they’re not just blue. They’re lapis. If you have it, there’s also nothing wrong with a little flaunt every now and again, particularly the Swiss. Just not Alain Berset.

This example is lightly worn. The case shows a few signs of having been out, but not many and not one big bash. The engravings and hallmarks are all still deep, but the platinum may have seen a previous polish. It comes from a well-regarded London retailer.

Find this 43032 here from A Collected Man for 110000 GBP.