The Art Of Vacheron Constantin

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Nov 13, 1994

LOT 66

Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 402550 case No. 250767, completed in 1925, sold on 23 February 1931, to Mr. F. Chiappe in Italia. Very fine 18 ct. pink gold keyless pocket chronometer with chronograph and tachometer, Bulletin de lere Classe from the Observatory of Geneva.

CHF 8,500 - 9,500

Sold: CHF 9,890

C. Three body, massive, "bassine", polished". Gold cuvette engraved with the inscription for the First Class Bulletin. D. White enamel with Arabic numerals, sunk subsidiary seconds and outer tachometric scale for 1000 meters. Gold "spade" bands. M. 19"', nickel plated, 26 jewels, straight fine lever escapement,bimetallic balance adjusted by E. Olivier, blued steel balance spring with terminal curve and swan neck micrometric index. Chronograph with visible work and button on the winding crown. Signed on the dial, case and movement. In very good condition, with photocopies from the recors of the timing contest. Diam. 52 mm.


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Unusually watches with complications are not presented to the timing contests, this one received a First Class Bulletin. Two generations of designers and casemakers founded by Ferdinand Verger in 1872, Place des Victoires à Paris. Ferdinand Verger had two sons, Georges and Henri. In 1896 the trade mark "F.V." was registered. Ferdinand Verger bought from Roux, the firm of Lepine, Place des Victoires, in 1901 and in 1914 he liquidated the remaining stock to Louis Leroy but kept the trade-mark which was registered again by him in 1917. Successors of their father in 1911, Georges and Henri settled at 51 rue Sainte Anne under the naine of Verger Frères. The master-mark became "V.F.". They were the agents in Paris for Vacheron & Constantin. Not only wholesalers but also designers and case-makers. They produced cases for the finest jewellers of the world, including Boucheron, Mauboussin, Ostertag, Tiffany, La Cloche, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Gübelin and even Hauser-Zivy y Cia. in Mexico. They employed up to 40 craftsmen in Paris, not only jewellers to produce cases and to fit the movements, but also watchmakers for adjusting and after sale service of the movements. Some of their models are very original, such as the so-called "Bras en l'air", made with a figure of Buddah, of a serpent charnier or of a Mandarin, the famous "radiateur", often sold as a purse clasp, the " montres à volet", produced for Ostertag, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Mauboussin, Gübelin and Tiffany and the celebrated "Montre Cadenas", specially designed for Van Cleef & Arpels. The revival of the fashion for dials and cases with painted miniatures on ivory panels count among their great successes. They also created of magnificent clocks with the dial in pietra dura and outstanding mystery clocks, pride of Cartier and Vacheron & Constantin, in the 1920's and 30's.