Important Collectors Watches, Pocket...
Geneva, Oct 14, 2007
LOT 151
So-Called ?Pink Cioccolatone? Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 527759, case No. 352716, Ref. 4737. Made in 1957. Extremely fine and very rare, large, curved square, center seconds, self-winding, 18K pink gold wristwatch. Accompanied by a certificate of Authenticity.
CHF 50,000 - 60,000
EUR 30,000 - 37,000 / USD 42,000 - 50,000
C. Two-body, curved, solid, polished, stepped bezel, rounded lugs, thick domed crystal. D. Silver with applied pink gold pyramidal and triangular indexes. Pink gold "baton" hands. M. Cal. 12??? P1019, rhodium-plated, "fausses-côtes" decoration, 21 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, beryllium balance with timing screws, adjusted to temperatures, shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometer regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Dim. 43 x 35 mm. Thickness 12 mm.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: AAA |
Excellent |
Case: 3 |
Good |
Movement: 3* |
Good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 3-6-03 |
Good Slightly oxidized HANDS Period |
Notes
is called ?cioccolatone? by Italian collectors due to its shape. Several variatons exist: the self-winding Ref. 4764 with calendar and moon phases; Ref. 6440 with center seconds; Ref. 6440Q, with date. These models are the most admired and sought-after wristwatches of the 1950s. Vacheron Constantin, always innovative, was clearly ahead of its time in offering a model so unusual in size and shape. Particularly pleasing was the rounded outline of the case, with its superimposed ?levels?. At the time, it was made in yellow gold, more rarely in pink gold, and only two examples in white gold. It was reintroduced as of 2003 with a guilloché dial and a platinum case and was launched under the name ?Toledo?.