Watches with stone dials are among the most captivating—and, to some extent, polarizing—design categories in watchmaking. You see, there is a true art to crafting these dials, as ensuring they are thin enough to avoid adding unnecessary heft while maintaining durability is a delicate balancing act. Achieving this without cracking the precious stone itself is a tremendous challenge, and as a result, watches with stone dials are often quite fragile. The high failure rates in producing these delicate dials naturally drive up costs, making them inherently expensive. Nevertheless, interest in stone dials has been steadily growing in recent years. Vintage examples are gradually being rediscovered and gaining popularity, while many modern brands are also embracing the craft, incorporating stone dials into their contemporary designs and offerings.
What we have here today is a rare example from one of the "Holy Trinity" brands of watchmaking: this is the Vacheron Constantin Ref. 2077, featuring a stunning jade dial encased within an exceptional ‘Cristallor’ case in 18-carat yellow gold. It is worth mentioning that while there are several variations of the Ref. 2077, this particular configuration with a jade dial is incredibly scarce, as we have yet to find any other examples like it currently available on the market.
In terms of sizing, the Ref. 2077 is a modest 38mm x 29mm, making it highly wearable by modern standards. The design is elegantly simple: the watch features a striking green jade dial with no markers, except for the gold dauphine hands, the Maison’s logo, and discreet ‘Swiss’ text at 6:00. This minimalist approach allows the jade dial to truly take center stage, with its ample negative space. As mentioned earlier, the jade dial is beautifully complemented by a luxurious 18-carat yellow gold 'Cristallor' style case, characterized by its seemingly large vertical form, stepped bezel, and flushed lugs—a flawless and refined pairing, if I may say so myself.
Powering the Ref. 2077 from within is the exquisitely finished Vacheron Constantin Cal. K1014- a manual-winding movement from the 1970s that is fundamentally based on the Jaeger-LeCoultre Cal. 818. It holds a power reserve of approximately 38 hours on a full wind.
Overall, when it comes to rare and extraordinary specimens like this, words often fall short in capturing its aesthetic allure and exuberance. Therefore, I shall let the pictures speak for themselves.
