Seals and crafts

Both are gold brands: 86 per cent of the Vacheron Constantin watches here and 89 per cent of the Pateks are precious metal, with steel confined to the Overseas and the Nautilus and Aquanaut. Vacheron certifies its movements with the Hallmark of Geneva; Patek left that hallmark in 2009 for its own Patek Philippe Seal, which covers finishing and service as well as rate.

The decorative crafts are a larger share at Vacheron. Métiers d'Art, its enamelled and engraved line, is its largest collection here at 122 watches, with the bespoke Les Cabinotiers beside it; Patek's equivalent, the Rare Handcrafts, sits inside the Calatrava and the pocket watches. 34 per cent of the Vacheron watches here are limited editions and 26 per cent of Pateks; 83 per cent of Vacherons have a display back and 69 per cent of Pateks.

Movements

Vacheron's standard automatic is the 2460 SC, whose four-aperture 2460 G4 version is its most common movement here; Patek's is the 324 S C and its 2019 successor. Both keep an ultra-thin automatic on an old base, Vacheron's 1120 on the Jaeger-LeCoultre 920 and Patek's own 240 micro-rotor, which the 240 piece describes. Both used the Lemania 2310 for their hand-wound chronographs, Vacheron as the 1142 and Patek as the CH 27-70, a history the Lemania piece traces. 35 per cent of both brands' watches here are hand-wound.

Complications

Patek's catalogue is the more complicated: 19 per cent of its watches here carry a perpetual calendar, 19 per cent a chronograph and 11 per cent a minute repeater, against 7, 8 and 1 per cent at Vacheron. Vacheron's complications lean toward the tourbillon, 9 per cent against 5, and the world time and second time zone of the Traditionnelle and the Overseas. The rarity medians are 6 and 4, and 29 and 30 per cent of the scored watches reach 8.

The pairs

The Overseas and the Nautilus are the integrated-bracelet sports watches, 101 and 95 references. The Patrimony and the Calatrava are the plain round dress watches, the Traditionnelle the classical alternative, and Métiers d'Art and the Rare Handcrafts Calatravas the decorated ones; the glossary covers the guilloché both use.