The art of horology has long been fascinated by the equation of time, which displays the difference in minutes between solar time as shown on a sundial and the constant mean time we use today. This complex astronomical indication depends on an oval cam, calculated according to the sun's daily declination and rotating once a year. As the cam turns, a hand following its contours indicates the equation of time, while further indications of sunrise and sunset throughout the year rely on a similar cam designed for the wearer’s locality.

Vacheron Constantin's expertise in such refined complications is evident in the Traditionnelle Grandes Complications ref. 88172. The gracefully shaped equation of time cam rotates smoothly between 10 and 11 o'clock, while retrograde hands mark sunrise and sunset at 8 and 4 o'clock, unique to the wearer’s latitude. Above 6 o'clock, the tourbillon carriage shaped like Vacheron Constantin's Maltese Cross emblem rotates elegantly once per minute.

The perpetual calendar indications are laid out in perfect symmetry, with days, months, and dates at 9, 12 and 3 o'clock, and a leap year indicator discreetly placed at 1 o'clock. Despite the mechanical intricacy, the cal. 2253 delivers an exceptional 14-day power reserve. This remarkable feat is achieved through twin mainspring barrels, with the remaining reserve displayed on the sapphire caseback.

The silvery dial provides elegant contrast with the pink gold case, while engine-turned centres on each subdial add visual depth. Pairing refinement with complexity, this exceptional timepiece preserved in barely worn condition demonstrates Vacheron Constantin's peerless ingenuity and mastery of grand complications.