Vacheron & Constantin Oversize “TV Screen”

Hi Founded in Geneva in 1755, Vacheron Constantin is one of the oldest continuously operating Swiss watchmaking maisons, and its history is inseparable from the highest tradition of Geneva watchmaking. Throughout the 20th century, the maison became particularly admired for its ability to combine mechanical refinement with sophisticated case design, producing watches that were often as distinctive in shape as they were restrained in execution.

The modern collector's renewed fascination with vintage dress watches has brought particular attention to this side of Vacheron Constantin. After decades in which the market was dominated by round sports watches and oversized contemporary cases, the elegance of shaped vintage watches has become increasingly compelling. And few maisons demonstrate this language better than Vacheron.

The Ref. 2096P is a wonderful expression of that philosophy. Its so-called “TV-screen” case, with its softly rounded rectangular geometry, belongs to the design vocabulary that became particularly characteristic of the late 1960s and 1970s. It is an object that feels simultaneously architectural and elegant: less conventional than a round dress watch, yet unmistakably formal.

This example, dating to around 1977, is particularly striking in 18K yellow gold, with a matching yellow-gold dial and applied baton indexes. The monochromatic construction is what gives it such presence: gold case, gold dial and gold indexes create a continuous surface of warm metallic tones, interrupted only by the slender hands and restrained printing.

Measuring 36 × 32 mm, the proportions are exceptionally effective on the wrist. This is not a small vintage dress watch in the traditional sense. The generous horizontal dimensions of the TV case give it considerable wrist presence, while its relatively slim profile preserves the elegance expected from a Vacheron Constantin dress watch.

The manual-winding movement further reinforces its character. Beneath the sculptural case lies the Vacheron Constantin calibre K1014, a refined hand-wound movement perfectly suited to the restrained architecture of the watch.
What makes the Ref. 2096P particularly appealing today is precisely this tension between formal elegance and strong design. It was conceived as a dress watch, but the geometry prevents it from disappearing beneath a cuff. On the wrist, the broad rectangular case reads almost like a piece of jewellery, while the 18K yellow gold construction gives the watch an unmistakable presence.

This is the kind of Vacheron that rewards looking beyond the conventional round Calatrava formula. The case is the statement, the dial is deliberately restrained, and the proportions are remarkably contemporary despite belonging to another era.

For today's collector, the appeal is obvious: a genuinely luxurious vintage dress watch with an unusual silhouette, precious-metal construction and the unmistakable design language of Vacheron Constantin. The Ref. 2096P is a reminder that some of the most interesting watches of the period were never designed to follow the rules of the conventional dress watch.