As part of its releases for Watches & Wonders 2024, Vacheron Constantin has unveiled a piece that doubles as jewelry and a wristwatch. The new Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla convertible jewelry watch can be worn both as a pendant watch when attached to a tassel sautoir necklace or on the wrist by way of a dazzling diamond-set bracelet. Rihanna and Taylor Swift were both recently spotted with watches around their necks but worn in a not-so-practical choker style (how do you even read the time, or does that not matter because, fashion?). Vacheron Constantin now offers a more classic way to wear a high-jewelry watch around your neck, with the added benefit of easily checking the time when necessary.
In 1979, Vacheron Constantin created the Kallista (Greek for “the most beautiful”) watch, commissioned by a client and designed by the late French painter Raymond Moretti. This pièce unique featured 130 carats of diamonds and 140 grams of gold, making it the most expensive watch in the world at that time. Although Vacheron Constantin only made one Kallista watch, it inspired the Kalla high jewelry watch that debuted in 1980, which eventually expanded into a collection of various iterations over the decades including the GPHG-winning white gold Lady Kalla of 2001. However, if we look even further back into the brand’s archives from the early 20th Century, there are also some spectacular pendant watches, bejeweled Art-Deco “secret” wristwatches, and “surprise” pocket watches that clearly informed the design of the new Grand Lady Kalla.
The Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla set consists of a sautoir necklace, a watch bracelet, a watch case, and a jewel element shaped similarly to the watch case. As such, the watch case and jewel element are interchangeable on the necklace and bracelet, offering four wear combinations.
The 18k white gold rectangular watch case measures 19.4mm by 30.1mm and is 8.3mm thick. The case is entirely set with 12 emerald-cut diamonds (~6.90 carats). The dial is also fully paved with diamonds, 14 emerald-cut ones (~1.54 carats), and at the center of the dial are a tiny pair of hour and minute hands crafted from 18k white gold, powered by the Caliber 1212 quartz movement. The rectangular jewel element that can replace the watch case measures 16.8mm by 30.1mm, and it’s set with 14 emerald-cut diamonds (~10.82 carats) and one emerald-cut center diamond that’s more than 2 carats.
The watch bracelet is fully paved with 105 emerald-cut diamonds (~24.00 carats); it is designed with an interchangeable system that allows the watch case to be easily swapped for the jewel element. The necklace component of the Grand Lady Kalla set is another illustration of Vacheron Constantin’s high jewelry skill. It comprises an 85cm-long white silk necklace and tassel embellished with Akoya pearls, onyx beads, and brilliant-cut diamonds. The tassel includes an interchangeable system that can house either the watch case or the jewel element while the 18k white gold clasp is also decorated with diamonds and onyx.
All in all, the Grand Lady Kalla includes 268 diamonds (for a total of ~46.65 carats), including that GIA-certified center emerald-cut diamond of more than 2 carats previously mentioned. The creativity of the set is undeniable and Vacheron Constantin’s convertible design that allows wearers to wear this high jewelry watch in multiple ways is superb. It will only be available at Vacheron Constantin Boutiques and while the brand has yet to make the price of Grand Lady Kalla public at the time of publishing, expect this “price upon request” piece to be exceedingly expensive. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
