IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
CollectionsFeb 07, 2016
Vacheron creates world’s most complicated watch
Commissioned by a private client, Vacheron Constantin’s new Ref. 57260 is a one-of-a-kind, double-dial watch boasting 57 complications and more than 2,800 components.
The Ref. 57260 is made in 18-karat white gold, polished with glazed bezels on each side. Each side of the watch also has a dial made of silver, and rotating discs for the displays made of lightweight aluminum.
Geneva--Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has unveiled what is says is the most complicated watch in the world, a creation nearly nine years in the making.
Called the Ref. 57260, the one-of-a-kind, double-dial pocket watch boasts 57 complications and more than 2,800 components. The brand said it is not releasing the price or value of the timepiece, per the wishes of the anonymous collector who commissioned it.
Among the complications are new mechanisms that have never been seen before in watchmaking, among them the double retrograde “rattrapante” chronograph. This new chronograph is read by the user in the same manner as a classic split-seconds chronograph. What makes it unique is the fact that while both hands still work in unison from the same axis, they never actually meet. They operate on two separate scales on opposing sides of the dial.
In this respect, it can best be described as a “detached” split-seconds chronograph, Vacheron Constantin said.
Another new mechanism is the dual-function perpetual calendar, which gives the watch the ability to provide three entirely different perpetual calendar readings, one for the Hebrew calendar and two for the Gregorian.
Vacheron Constantin said due to the long-term changing cycles of the Hebrew calendar and its differences from the Gregorian calendar, the making of a complete, functioning mechanical Hebraic perpetual calendar had been impossible until the Ref. 57260. “Highly complicated mathematical calculations combining both the lunar months and solar year were transcribed into not only an operational mechanism but a display that is elegant, logical and easy to read,” the brand said. “This achievement cannot be overstated as an example of contemporary watchmaking genius.”
The Gregorian perpetual calendar, meanwhile, automatically corrects itself for the appropriate number of days in the month, and the leap years can be read on the dial using the retrograde date, the days of the week and months dials. Two possible options are available for the Gregorian perpetual calendar: either the traditional calendar, or the business calendar system, known as ISO 8601, a numerical system that utilizes 52 weeks and seven days.
When it comes to chiming, the watch has three possible striking modes: striking, where it chimes automatically at each passing quarter hour; night silence, when chiming is automatically disabled for anywhere from eight to 22 hours; and silence, where the chiming can be switched off when it is not desired.
The “armillary” tourbillon cage containing
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
the watch’s escapement is visible through the aperture beneath the sky chart. The cage received its name because it is reminiscent of the circles and rings of the scientific instrument known as the armillary sphere. It was placed on the second dial side, complementing the astronomical functions to suggest the apparent movement of the stars, sun and the ecliptic around the earth.
The armillary sphere tourbillon was “made of the lightest of materials,” Vacheron Constantin said, to minimize the effects of gravity on the balance wheel, hairspring and pallet fork of the escapement. The tourbillon essentially is a revolving platform and cage upon which the entire escapement is mounted, making one full rotation every minute. In this tourbillon, the escapement is rotated in three planes at once.
More on Collections
The Latest
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
