Jaeger-LeCoultre launches latest mechanical watch with the most complex functions in history.

Swiss watch brand Vacheron Constantin, with the longest history in Switzerland, recently unveiled the world’s most complicated mechanical wristwatch – the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, after eight years of research and development. This extraordinary timepiece is not only able to “chase stars” but also to “chase the sun.”

This double-sided wristwatch is equipped with a record-breaking 41 complex functions, including 5 astronomical functions, with one being a global first. The new Caliber 3655 movement is hand-assembled with 1,521 components, and the assembly of just the movement alone took nearly a year. Vacheron Constantin applied for 13 patents for this timepiece, with 7 related to the striking mechanism, such as the ability to replicate the chimes of Big Ben in Westminster.

The new creation by Vacheron Constantin, the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, is crafted from 18K white gold, with a diameter of 45 millimeters and a thickness of 14.99 millimeters, maintaining excellent wearability. The movement measures 36 millimeters in diameter and less than 11 millimeters in thickness, described by the brand as the “culmination of miniaturized artistry.”

The design challenge was how to incorporate such a multitude of functions into a wristwatch suitable for daily wear. Christian Selmoni, Style and Heritage Director at Vacheron Constantin, stated that the brand’s watchmakers arranged the miniature components in the “most logical and compact way.”

Selmoni mentioned in a press release, “Our main goal was to integrate all core complex functions – chronograph, perpetual calendar, stopwatch, and striking mechanisms on one main plate and to concentrate the astronomical functions on an additional sub-plate. Through this structure, we were able to create a harmonious wristwatch.”

This timepiece features a perpetual calendar, three types of moon phase displays, tide tracking, a tourbillon, dual time zones, world time, and more, capable of displaying civil time, sidereal time, solar time, and even an “equation of time” display. Among the five astronomical functions, three are currently applying for patents, including a star map that predicts when specific stars or constellations will appear in the night sky and interacts with the chronograph, a global first.

There is also a “plug and play” module design that simplifies the maintenance process, saving a significant amount of labor hours. Selmoni pointed out that the watch not only showcases impressive technical feats but also offers clear legibility when telling time, with a redesigned layout and case structure for function displays compared to traditional designs.

Founded in 1755, Vacheron Constantin is currently part of the luxury conglomerate Richemont Group and still holds the record for producing the “world’s most complicated pocket watch.” Their Berkley Grand Complication pocket watch, released last year, boasted 63 complex functions, including displaying the intricate Chinese perpetual calendar with both lunar and solar cycles.

The Solaria wristwatch not only breaks the brand’s own records but also sets a new standard in the industry. As a unique piece, its price has not been disclosed yet, but it is expected to surpass the previous benchmark of $2 million.

(Source: Bloomberg and CNN reports)