Vacheron Constantin’s Reference 57260 is a unique, double-dial mechanical pocket watch that the maker said was the most complicated watch ever built at the time. Its headline figure is 57 complications, a count attributed to Vacheron Constantin; what qualifies as a complication can depend on how functions are classified. The watch’s significance lies not only in that total, but in how it combines a Hebrew perpetual calendar, unusual chronograph, Westminster-style chimes, astronomical displays and a multi-axis tourbillon.
What is the Vacheron Constantin Reference 57260?
Reference 57260 is a bespoke, single-piece pocket watch with a double dial. Vacheron Constantin says three master watchmakers developed it over eight years and that it contains more than 2,800 components and 242 jewels. Independent coverage by SJX Watches described it as a commission for an anonymous client. Those accounts do not establish who owns it today, whether it is currently available for sale or what it would cost.
The reference number is widely understood to combine the maker’s 57-complication count with its 260th anniversary in 2015. SJX Watches gave that explanation; Vacheron Constantin confirms the complication count but does not explain the number’s construction on its current product page.
The company’s current page describes the watch as the most complicated ever built “at the time.” That is a historical claim, not a guarantee that it remains the record-holder today. The total also needs attribution: as Hodinkee noted in its 2015 coverage, watchmakers and commentators do not always use one agreed rule for deciding what counts as a separate complication.
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- NO BATTERIES, JUST WIND & GO Stay powered without charging or replacements. Hand wind mechanical movement keeps time running with simple daily winding, making it reliable for travel, daily carry, or special occasions.
- TRACK TIME WITH CLASSIC DETAIL Keep things simple and functional during your day. Analog display with Roman numeral markers offers clear readability, while the open dial adds depth without complicating the layout.
- READY FOR FORMAL OR GIFTING MOMENTS Designed for weddings, events, or meaningful gifts. Stainless steel case with matching chain and belt clip makes it easy to carry while adding a vintage-inspired touch to your outfit.
- BUILT FOR DISPLAY OR DAILY USE Use it beyond your pocket when needed. Dual-sided protective Krysterna crystal helps resist scratches while maintaining clarity, making it suitable for both everyday handling and display.
- SEE THE MECHANISM IN MOTION Enjoy a true mechanical experience whether you're dressing for an event or gifting something unique. Skeleton dual-sided dial lets you view the movement in action, merging visual appeal with traditional timekeeping.
What do its major systems do?
The watch’s functions are easier to understand by grouping them by purpose than by treating the number 57 as a self-explanatory list. Hodinkee’s 2015 overview groups them into astronomy, calendar, striking and chronograph functions; the sections below explain the principal mechanisms in those families, not an independently verified item-by-item inventory of all 57.
Hebrew perpetual calendar
The Hebrew calendar display is based on the 19-year Metonic cycle, which coordinates lunar months with the solar year. The watch accounts for intercalary months and displays the sacred date of Yom Kippur in the Gregorian calendar alongside the secular Hebrew year. This makes it more than a conventional date display: it represents the structure of a distinct lunisolar calendar while also relating a significant date to the Gregorian system.
Double retrograde split-seconds chronograph
A split-seconds, or rattrapante, chronograph can time an intermediate event while a second hand continues to track the overall elapsed time. In Reference 57260, the two chronograph hands travel on separate retrograde arcs on opposite sides of the dial. Vacheron Constantin says they operate in unison without meeting, using a new in-house mechanism. That separated, dual-arc arrangement differs visually from the more familiar overlapping split-seconds hands described by Hodinkee.
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- PREMIUM MATERIAL :Made from high-quality, breathable materials, providing maximum comfort for all-day wear without compromising on style.
- VERSATILE DESIGN:Our watch band is suitable for various occasions, easily transitioning from work to play, ensuring you always look your best.
- EASY INSTALLATION:Comes with quick-release spring bars that allow for simple installation and removal, so you can effortlessly switch out bands to match your mood.
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION:Built to withstand daily wear and tear, this watch band is resistant to scratches and fading, ensuring long-lasting use.
- ADJUSTABLE FIT:Features multiple sizing options to ensure a perfect fit for any wrist size, giving you the ultimate comfort and security.
Westminster-style striking and alarm
The grande and petite sonnerie modes chime the time using the Westminster cadence. The watch also has an alarm with its own power reserve. According to Vacheron Constantin, the alarm can sound on a single gong or use a Westminster carillon in grande or petite sonnerie mode. “Westminster chime” is the clearest description of the cadence; Big Ben is the name of the Great Bell, not the name of the clock or the chime.
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Automatic night silence
An automatic Night Silence function suspends the chiming between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., without requiring the wearer to switch it off manually. Hodinkee reported that the commissioning client chose those hours. The feature is intended to prevent the striking mechanisms from sounding during that set overnight interval.
Astronomical displays and civil time
The second dial combines a view of the night sky for the owner’s home city with several ways of representing time. Its indications include sidereal time, the equation of time, sunrise and sunset, and a Gregorian and ISO 8601 perpetual calendar with a retrograde date. It also pairs a second time zone with digital world time. These displays connect local civil time to astronomical cycles and to a chosen location rather than simply adding more conventional time-zone hands.
Rank #3
- Highly polished 47 millimeter gunmetal covered hunter case
- White railroad style dial with black Arabic numbers plus 24 hour and 60 second minute track
- Precision Japanese analog quartz battery operated movement
- Includes matching 14" curb pocket watch chain with belt clip attachment
- Arrives with deluxe draw string pouch and gift box, operating instructions and lifetime limited warranty
Armillary sphere tourbillon
The tourbillon rotates simultaneously in three planes. Vacheron Constantin says its Maltese Cross becomes visible every 15 seconds. The multi-axis assembly is both a regulating mechanism and a visible expression of the watch’s mechanical complexity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the 57-complication count needs context
Vacheron Constantin presents 57 as the watch’s total, and its official page says several of the complications were entirely new and unique at the time. But a complication count is not a universally standardized score: a maker’s total can depend on whether related indications or functions are counted separately. The number is useful as the manufacturer’s description of the watch’s scope, not as a neutral measurement that automatically settles every comparison.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFor a meaningful comparison with another grand complication, consider more than the headline total: which calendar systems it represents, how its chronograph works, whether it strikes or sounds an alarm, what astronomical indications it offers, and whether it is a unique commission. Any claim that one watch is “the most complicated” should also identify who made the claim, when, and how the functions were counted.
Can you buy the Reference 57260?
Reference 57260 was described as a unique bespoke commission, not a regular production model. The public descriptions cited here do not establish its current sale availability or a disclosed price. It is therefore not possible to treat it as a watch with a verified current retail price or routine public availability.
Quick Recap
Sources and attribution
- Vacheron Constantin, “Reference 57260: Beyond the limits of mechanical watchmaking,” current official product page accessed October 8, 2026; source for the maker’s complication count, development details and mechanism descriptions.
- Jack Forster, Hodinkee, “Introducing The Vacheron Constantin Reference 57260 With 57 Complications (The Most Complicated Watch, Ever),” September 17, 2015; source for the functional overview, the night-silence client attribution and discussion of complication classification.
- JX Su, SJX Watches, “Explaining the Most Complicated Timepiece Ever, the Vacheron Constantin Ref. 57260 Tivoli with 57 Complications,” September 17, 2015; source for the bespoke commission description and interpretation of the reference number.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
