The Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla is an iced-out modular marvel
Buffy Acacia- The Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla is a modular watch-and-necklace combo.
- It’s decked out in ~45.65 carats of emerald-cut diamonds, with one 2ct diamond certified by GIA.
- The Art Deco style harkens back a century to the origins of cocktail watches and haute joaillerie.
It’s a little-known fact that many Swiss jewellers turned to watchmaking in the 1500s due to the reformist rules of John Calvin, essentially banning the wear of jewellery. Of course this passed in time, and even though watchmaking took off in its own right, the crossover between jewellery and watches has been strong ever since. After all, they’re all forms of ornamental accessories. Fashion has swayed back and forth as it is known to do, but finally after decades of minimalism, it seems as though a return to 1920s decadence is upon us. The Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla follows an established tradition of highly-jewelled timepieces, totally blurring the line between watchmaking and jewellery beyond any doubt.
Something which has always appealed to me in antique jewellery is a sense of utility, which was especially prevalent in the Victorian period when accessories could be modular or transformative in all sorts of creative ways. It seems that these attitudes are coming back now in an era of computer-aided design, making such transformations even easier and secure. The new Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla isn’t exactly elaborate in its versatility, however the simple swapping system they’ve put in place means that you can wear it in a few different ways.
Essentially, the Grand Lady Kalla is a bracelet and a necklace with an interchangeable focus. The first focus is a watch case that’s powered by a small quartz movement naturally paved with diamonds, and the second is what Vacheron Constantin has called the jewel element. Everything is totally lavish in an Art Deco style, prioritising black and white contrasts, rigid patterns, and rectangular shapes. The watch case is made from 18k white gold and is 19.4mm wide, set with 12 emerald-cut diamonds in a way which echoes the brand’s Maltese cross symbology. The jewel element is slimmer at 16.8mm, replacing the watch dial with an emerald-cut diamond weighing at least 2 carats, certified by GIA. Many diamonds used in watchmaking aren’t worth as much as you may think, however these ones are certainly high value stones. That 2ct centre diamond alone would be worth at least US$4,000 if it’s lab-grown, or even close to US$30,000 if it’s natural.
Although the focus pieces are impressive, the settings are everything here. The watch bracelet is deceptively simple, consisting of no less than 105 emerald-cut diamonds with claw settings in white gold. It’s essentially a precious metal skeleton which secures that staggering number of jewels to your wrist. With either the watch or the jewel element attached, it’s some of the flashiest wrist-jewellery you could hope to find. The sautoir necklace is laden with 112 Akoya saltwater pearls for a lustrous white tone, while 50 black beads are formed from polished onyx. The clasp and tassel are also made from 18k white gold, from which hangs an extra 87 Akoya pearls and more onyx. Across the whole sautoir without either of the focus pieces, there are 122 small brilliant-cut diamonds set into beads.
All in all, the Grand Lady Kalla package includes a total diamond weight of ~45.65 carats, proving that no expense has been spared in the creation of it. Clearly it’s not something which you’d wear to the gym or the shops, but it would be a powerful statement piece with the right outfit at the right occasion for anyone lucky enough to purchase it.
The Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla pricing and availability
The Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla will only be available through Vacheron Constantin boutiques, with the price on request.
| Brand | Vacheron Constantin |
| Model | Grand Lady Kalla |
| Reference | 1208J/118G-H094 |
| Case Dimensions | 19.5mm (D) x 8.3mm (T) x 30.1mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 18k white gold |
| Water Resistance | N/A |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Set with emerald-cut diamonds |
| Bracelet | Emerald-cut, diamond-set 18k white gold bracelet Silk necklace with Akoya pearls, onyx, brilliant cut-diamonds |
| Movement | 1212 quartz, 6 jewels |
| Power Reserve | N/A |
| Functions | Hours, minutes |
| Availability | Boutique exclusive |
| Price | POA |