Important Collector's Watches, Pocket...

Geneva, Nov 11, 2007

LOT 261

Yellow Gold Ref. 4178 Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 466482, case No. 303425, Ref. 4178. Made in 1949. Very fine and very rare, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with square button chronograph, register, telemeter, tachometer, two-tone dial and an 18K yellow gold Vacheron Constantin buckle.

CHF 45,000 - 55,000

EUR 27,000 - 35,000 / USD 38,000 - 45,000

Sold: CHF 51,920

C. Three-body, solid, polished and brushed, rounded band, lapidated teardrop lugs. D. Two-tone gold with applied yellow gold baton indexes and Arabic half-hour numerals, outer minutes and fifths of seconds divisions, subsidiary guilloché seconds and 30-minute register dials, outermost telemeter and tachometer graduations. Yellow gold baton hands. M. Cal. V492, rhodium-plated, fausses côtes decoration, 19 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to temperatures, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, index regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 36 mm. Thickness 11 mm. From ?The Collection?


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

The flared lugs of Ref. 4178 are one of the unique characteristics of Vacheron Constantin chronographs. Instantly recognizable, perfectly proportioned, this is one of the most beautiful and sought-after sports chronograph watches of the 1940s. For other examples of the Ref. 4178 see: Antiquorum, Geneve, "The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Constantin", April 3, 2005, lots 140, 144, 146, 147, 213