Important Collectors’ Watches, Pocket...

Geneva, Oct 14, 2007

LOT 147

Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 418811, case No. 263879. Made in 1937. Fine and rare, stainless steel ?Staybrite? wristwatch.

CHF 2,000 - 3,000

EUR 1,200 - 1,800 / USD 1,700 - 2,500

Sold: CHF 6,136

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, flat bezel, oversized winding crown, concave lugs. D. Satiné silver with applied white gold baton markers and Arabic quarter-hour numerals, outer minute divisions, subsidiary seconds. White gold ?épée? hands. M. 10 1/2???, rhodium-plated, 18 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 30 mm. Thickness 9 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: A

Good

Case: 3-7

Good

Oxidized

Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 3-7-01

Good

Oxidized

HANDS Original

Notes

Staybrite
Is the name of a steel alloy containing 0.2% carbon, 18% chromium and 8% nickel. It is a stainless material that takes a fine polish and is therefore often used for making watch cases. It is probably the type of stainless steel that has been most widely used by watch companies. Other examples of watches with Staybrite cases were sold by Antiquorum, "The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Constantin", April 3, 2005.