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Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph 42.5mm Stainless Steel X55AC686
Ref. X55AC686
The Overseas has always occupied an unusual position in the Vacheron Constantin catalogue — a sporting watch that makes no concessions to the finishing standards the manufacture applies to everything else. The chronograph variant sharpens that tension further. Its Calibre 5200 carries the Hallmark of Geneva, the most demanding third-party certification available to a Swiss movement, and the 22-carat gold oscillating weight is engraved with a wind rose rather than left plain — effort that exists only for the caseback, and only for the owner who opens it. This particular configuration is known among collectors as the Ghost variant: a silver lacquered dial against black snailed sub-registers, which produces the high contrast of a panda layout but in cooler, less assertive tones. The integrated bracelet follows the geometry of the Maltese cross that runs through the brand's visual language, and it releases without tools — swapping to the rubber or leather strap that ships with the watch takes seconds. At 12.67mm thick for a three-register chronograph with a column-wheel movement, it sits considerably flatter than most of its competitors, and the bracelet's triple-folding clasp adjusts without a pin, which means fine-tuning the fit at the wrist rather than at the watchmaker.
- Reference
- X55AC686
- Brand
- Vacheron Constantin
- Collection
- OverseasCase Size: 42
- Case size
- 42.5mm
- Case thickness
- 12.67mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 5200
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date, Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 150m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 52 hours
Learn more about Vacheron Constantin
Jean-Marc Vacheron signed his first apprenticeship contract in Geneva in 1755, an act that begins the longest unbroken run of watchmaking in the industry. The house has produced watches every year since — through the French occupation of Geneva, two world wars, and the quartz crisis that killed most of its contemporaries.
The decisive partnership came in 1819, when François Constantin joined Jacques-Barthélémi Vacheron and supplied the motto still carried today: do better if possible, and that is always possible. Constantin travelled Europe selling the watches while Vacheron built them, an arrangement that turned a Geneva workshop into an international house.
In 1839 the company hired Georges-Auguste Leschot, whose pantograph allowed movement components to be made to consistent dimensions. It was among the first serious steps toward interchangeable parts in Swiss watchmaking, and it let the house scale complication work without surrendering hand finishing.
Vacheron is the senior member of the so-called holy trinity alongside Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, and remains the reference for Geneva finishing: hand-applied anglage, the Maltese cross emblem taken from a movement component, and a catalogue running from plain three-handers to the most complicated wristwatches ever assembled. The Overseas, introduced in the 1990s and descended from the 222 of 1977, is the modern volume model.
The house has belonged to Richemont since 1996.
- 1755
- Jean-Marc Vacheron establishes his workshop in Geneva.
- 1819
- François Constantin joins; the firm becomes Vacheron & Constantin.
- 1839
- Georges-Auguste Leschot introduces the pantograph for consistent components.
- 1977
- The 222 launches, ancestor of the Overseas.
- 1996
- Acquired by Richemont.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,762), Automatic Watches (1,400), Chronograph Watches (1,130), Back in Stock (820), Silver Dial Watches (619) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (220).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 150m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | X55AC686 | 26405CE.OO.A002CA.02 | 81010-32-3081-1CX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £32,995 | £26,950 | £20,450 |
| Case size | 42.5mm | 44mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 150m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Rubber strap | Ceramic bracelet |
| Power reserve | 52 hours | 50 hours | 54 hours |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 150m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 52 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb at £32,995, pre-owned. No UK retailer we track lists this reference new.
Is this available new?
Not from the UK retailers we track. This reference is listed as pre-owned only, at £32,995 from Mappin & Webb. A pre-owned watch has been worn, and is normally sold under the retailer’s own warranty rather than the manufacturer’s.
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