Vacheron Constantin launched the Overseas in 1996. It was a sports/chic watch that received design cues from the 222, which was launched almost 20 years before, and displayed a tonneau-shaped case with a round serrated bezel this time in the form of a broken Maltese cross. The first model was launched in a time only format, including an extremely rare left handed version made in only 3 pieces, followed in 1999 by the chronograph housing the automatic calibre 1137 based on the Piguet calibre 1185, specially modified to add a big date mechanism like the present model.

Says JC Torres, Vacheron Constantin’s CEO at the time the Overseas was launched “With time the Overseas has become symbolic of Vacheron Constantin, but I don’t define it as a sports watch, but rather a casual / leisure watch. A sports watch is made for sports, the Overseas of course can be worn during sport activities but it is a discreet model which can be worn during week ends, leisure periods and fit for every day use."


The present Overseas Chronograph features a blue dial with black subdials and outer seconds track, a dial that was never officially launched and fitted to only a few test and presentation models making this configuration extremely rare and as such offering the possibility to acquire a Vacheron Constantin timepiece that was never offered to the public.