Online Christmas Auction

Hong Kong, Dec 11, 2019

LOT 356

Vacheron Constantin - Pocket watch; “Chronomètre Royal”; 18K yellow gold

HKD 39,000 - 46,800

EUR 4,600 - 5,500 / USD 5,000 - 6,000 / CHF 5,000 - 6,000

18K yellow gold, open-face, keyless-winding, round-shaped, pocket watch, with subsidiary seconds at 6. Case-back guilloché (engine-turned) with “sunray” motif. Cuvette (dome) engraved in taille-douce (fine cut) with the mention in Brazilian-Portuguese “Everaldo, / recordação de / seu pai” (Everaldo, remembrance of your father). Case-back engraved in taille-douce (fine cut) with the first name “Celso”.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3 *
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Brand Vacheron Constantin, Geneva

Model “Chronomètre Royal”

Movement No. 361 160

Case No. 218 126

Material 18K yellow gold

Diameter 56.6 mm.

Caliber 22’’’, lever escapement

Signature dial, case and movement

Accessories original fitted box

Notes

Please note that in the Vacheron Constantin Archives in Geneva, the movement and case numbers of this watch do not match each other; the current watch no longer corresponds to the manufacture output status, it’s therefore impossible to receive today an Extract from the Archives.
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Vacheron Constantin, “Chronomètre Royal”
The name “Chronomètre Royal” was registered in Switzerland on May 28, 1907, under the No. 22 193. The “Royal Chronometer” name, for the English-speaking market, was registered in Switzerland on May 8, 1908, under the No. 23 872.
The first of these were a series of pocket watches delivered to Brazil. A certain A. Campos, one of Vacheron Constantin’s agents, had organized a lottery system in which subscribers would pay a monthly fee to take part in a series of draws. The holders of the winning tickets would be given a watch and the other subscribers would be entered into the next draw. This system proved to be so successful that A. Campos delivered a total of 3 022 watches between October 22, 1907, and December 31, 1911 – an amazing 80% of the production of the “Chronomètre Royal”, utilising the Cal. RA 22’73 made during this period.
As we can read in the Vacheron Constantin Archives, this series of watches was especially made for the South American Market, especially to Argentina.
The “Chronomètre Royal” was made in several sizes, from 12 to 22 lines, and was housed mostly in gold cases, and rarely in silver ones.