The Roaring Twenties changed everything from art and fashion to how people told time, as wristwatches started replacing pocket watches and gave watchmakers a chance to try completely new designs. Vacheron Constantin took advantage of this freedom in 1919 with a small series of cushion-shaped watches whose dials were turned 45 degrees, then adapted the idea for the American market in 1921. The unusual design let drivers read the time without moving their wrists away from the steering wheel, making the American 1921 known as the perfect watch for a gentleman driver.

More than a hundred years later, the Historiques American 1921 is still one of the brand’s most famous designs, and Vacheron Constantin has brought it back for Watches and Wonders 2026 with two new pink-gold versions. Available in 36.5mm and 40mm sizes, the newest models feature textured silver-coloured dials, bright blue numbers, and matching blue hands while keeping the tilted display, off-center crown, and simple charm of the original. Instead of just copying the past, these new versions bring the bold and unique style of the Roaring Twenties into today.

Long before the driver’s watch became a common type, Vacheron Constantin was trying out ways to make it easier to read the time while driving. In 1919, the company made a few cushion-shaped wristwatches with their dials turned 45 degrees, so the wearer could see the time without turning the wrist much. The design was eye-catching, but it was also truly useful at a time when wristwatches were starting to replace pocket watches, and cars were changing daily life.

Vacheron Constantin revisited the idea in 1921 with another small series made for the American market, adding changes that made the watch more elegant and visually balanced. Only 24 of these were made, making the original American 1921 a very rare example of Jazz Age watchmaking. Its unusual crown position and differently placed small-seconds display added to a design that broke traditional symmetry but was still very easy to read.

Although it was meant for driving, but the watch also attracted fans outside the car world. Two were owned by American writer and clergyman Samuel Parkes Cadman, an early radio host known for speaking out against racism and antisemitism. Its angled dial reportedly let him check the time quietly while preaching, and one of his watches later became part of Vacheron Constantin’s heritage collection.

The American 1921 joined Vacheron Constantin’s modern Historiques collection in 2008 with a 40mm version, followed by a smaller 36.5mm model in 2017. Its 100th anniversary in 2021 brought more versions and a carefully recreated unique piece made using old methods, showing that the original idea is still popular. With its practical roots, bold design, and unique character, the American 1921 remains the best of driver’s watches.

For 2026, the Historiques American 1921 has put on its glad rags, returning in two sizes measuring 36.5mm and 40mm. The case material for both models is polished 18K 5N pink gold, bringing warmth and refinement to the watch’s distinctive form. Vacheron Constantin has resisted the temptation to interfere with its defining geometry, retaining the cushion-shaped case, diagonal display and crown positioned at 1:30 while concentrating its attention on colour, texture and finishing.

The most noticeable change is the grained silver-toned dial, which creates a softly textured backdrop for bright blue Arabic numerals, a matching railway minute track and slender open-tipped hands made from blued 18K gold. A circular satin finish around the dial’s edge provides subtle contrast, while the small-seconds counter receives a snailed surface and remains conventionally oriented at 3 o’clock, creating a playful visual tension against the rotated hours and minutes.

Completing the new look is a dark-blue patinated calfskin strap with a gentle gradient effect, secured by an 18K pink-gold pin buckle. The smaller model measures only 7.41mm thick, while the 40mm edition comes in at 8.06mm, allowing both to retain the slim, elegant profile expected of a refined dress watch. Each version also features a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, a transparent caseback and 30 metres of water resistance, bringing practical modern construction to a design rooted firmly in the Roaring Twenties.

Beneath the American 1921 pays tribute to its century-old predecessor, its construction is thoroughly modern. Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and 30 metres of water resistance provide everyday practicality, while the transparent caseback reveals Vacheron Constantin’s in-house Calibre 4400 AS. The hand-wound movement drives the hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds and is rotated within the case to align its functions with the asymmetrical dial. At only 2.8mm thick, it allows the 36.5mm model to measure a slender 7.41mm in height, while the 40mm version comes in at 8.06mm.

Measuring 28.6mm across, the Calibre 4400 AS comprises 127 components and 21 jewels, runs at 4Hz and delivers a 65-hour power reserve. Côtes de Genève decorate its two broad bridges and the balance cock supporting the free-sprung balance, with every detail visible through the sapphire caseback. Both models also carry the Hallmark of Geneva, confirming their provenance and adherence to demanding standards of craftsmanship, finishing, reliability and precision. It may retain the unconventional character of the Roaring Twenties, but beneath the dial, the American 1921 is hitting on all sixes by modern haute horlogerie standards.

The Historiques American 1921 commands a pretty penny, with the 36.5mm model priced at US$37,200 and the larger 40mm version at US$45,000. Either size represents a substantial investment, although the use of polished 18K 5N pink gold, an in-house movement and the Hallmark of Geneva helps explain its place at the loftier end of Vacheron Constantin’s collection.

Neither model is a numbered limited edition; both join the permanent Historiques collection and are offered through Vacheron Constantin boutiques and authorized retailers. Availability will differ by location, so prospective buyers may need to contact a boutique, register their interest, or place a special order.

• Brand: Vacheron Constantin
• Model: Historiques American 1921
• Reference: 1100S/000R–H115 / 82035/000R–H114
• Diameter: 36.5 / 40 mm
• Thickness: 8.06 / 7.41 mm
• Material: 18K 5N Pink Gold
• Dial: Silver-Grained With Snailed Small Seconds
• Calibre: Caliber 4400 AS
• Power Reserve: 65 Hours
• Water-Resistance: 3 Bar (30 metres, 100 feet)
• Price: USD $37,200 / $45,000