Luxury Watches: It is one of those wristwatches that makes time stand still! Vacheron Constantin's latest watch, the Platinum Patrimony Contemporary Retrograde Date and Day of the Platinum Excellence Collection, is for the man whose time is now. This Swiss-made masterpiece is the jeweled accessory that vaults a man's status and fashion sensibility to the forefront with a twist of the wrist. It is elegantly rich with a platinum case, a sandblasted platinum dial, and a hand-stitched midnight-blue alligator strap that is woven threads of silk and platinum.

The Platinum Patrimony is self-winding and features a double-complication movement. It is 42.5 millimeters in diameter and presents hour, minute, date, and time readings. The wristwatch is stamped with the prestigious Geneva Hallmark, the quality seal of the Geneva School of Horology. Since 1886, the seal is an accolade recognized as an endorsement of excellence. Watches made by Audemars-Piguet and Patek Phillippe also are bearers of the distinguished Geneva Hallmark.

The first date-and-day model, the Patrimony Retrograde Date and Day, received the Jury Prize for Watch of the Year 2007. The dial and case of this wristwatch is pink gold. Like the Platinum Patrimony, it is a 27-jewel watch with a see-through sapphire case-back and a ruggedly handsome alligator-leather strap.

For more than 250 years, Vacheron Constantin has been a major contributor to the technological advancements made in horology. Each collection of the Geneva-based watchmaker is noted for its exclusivity and durability. These collectible timepieces have been passed from generation to generation for years.

The creative and technical teams work seamlessly toward creating perfect timepieces. There are eight collections available. A Vacheron Constantin is a highly valued collectible timepiece, as some models are priced well into six figures and higher. Online jeweler Gemnation is currently offering a Tour de I'le men's at $2.57 million . The complicated wristwatch has 834 individual pieces and required more than 10,000 hours of design work.

Vacheron Constantin boutiques are located in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Upscale U.S. retailers carrying this exclusive line include Tourneau, Neiman Marcus, and Bailey Bands & Biddle, and more. View all the magnificent collections by Vacheron Constantin at www.vacheron-constantin.com.

For LxM James Rothaar