Vacheron Constantin is rolling out a watch so complicated it'll make horologists' heads spin

• Vacheron Constantin has a new wristwatch that does a lot more than tell the time.
• The new timepiece comprises over 1,500 components and has 41 functions.
• The watch is "mind-blowing" and "a total flex of horological muscle," said Paul Altieri, the founder and CEO of the watch reseller Bob's Watches.

If you need to know which constellations are above you in the sky at any given moment, Vacheron Constantin has you covered.

The Swiss watchmaker is rolling out the "Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication — La Première," which it called the "most complicated wristwatch ever made."

According to the watchmaker's website, the 45-mm-diameter and 14.99-mm-high watch comprises 1,521 components. The watch has 41 complications — a term referring to any function of a watch that goes beyond the display of time.

Paul Altieri, the founder and CEO of the watch reseller Bob's Watches, told BI that fitting 41 complications into a wristwatch while keeping it wearable is "mind-blowing" and "a total flex of horological muscle."

"It's less of a watch and more of a statement — the ultimate blend of art, engineering, and ego," Altieri said.

It took eight years of development and 13 patent applications to get the watch out, Vacheron Constantin said.

The timepiece looks sleek and modern, with black dials accented with metallic gray and white tones. The watch is double-sided, with its top face featuring four subdials and its inner face showing the position of the stars.

Apart from telling its wearer the time, the watch also shows the sun's position, height, trajectory, and angle relative to the Earth. It also lets the wearer know which constellations are overhead and how long it will take for a star to be visible.

The watch was revealed at the Watches and Wonders trade fair in Geneva on Tuesday, CNN reported.

Representatives for Vacheron Constantin did not respond to requests from Business Insider regarding the retail price of the watch, when it would be available for sale, and how many pieces of this model would be released.

The new watch follows the watchmaker's history of making ultra-complicated watches. In 2024, it released the "Les Cabinotiers - The Berkley Grand Complication," a pocketwatch with 63 complications and 2,877 components.

'Extremely delicate'

A watch with this many complications is "extremely delicate," Altieri said. Servicing would likely take months and could probably be done only by Vacheron's top-level master watchmakers in Geneva, he added.

"Collectors and horological folks will worship it, but it's definitely not meant for mass appeal. It's meant as a show-stopper. A jaw-dropper," Altieri said.

Matteo Barbetti, a luxury vintage watch expert based in Italy, told BI the fact that the watch's features can fit into a wearable 45mm case without compromising the thickness "is a testament to Vacheron Constantin's mastery of miniaturization and innovation."

But the "sheer number of complications might make it less practical for everyday wear," Barbetti said.

"I believe the Solaria will captivate serious collectors and enthusiasts of haute horology," he added.