Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Nov 16, 2008

LOT 588

Yellow Gold ?Cioccolatone? Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, ?Automatic? movement No. 536563, case No. 361717, Ref. 4737. Made in the late 1950s. Very fine and very rare, large, curved square, center seconds, self-winding, 18K yellow gold wristwatch.

CHF 24,000 - 30,000

USD 22,000 - 28,000 / EUR 15,000 - 20,000

Sold: CHF 27,600

C. Two-body, curved, solid, polished and brushed, stepped bezel, rounded lugs, thick domed crystal. D. Silver with applied yellow gold square and triangular indexes, inner minute division. Yellow gold baton hands. M. Cal. 12??? P1019/1, rhodium-plated, faussescotes decoration, 21 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, beryllium balance with timing screws, adjusted to heat, cold, isochronisms and five positions, shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, swan-neck regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Dim. 35 x 33 mm. Thickness 13 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-8-01

Good

Slightly scratched

HANDS Original

Notes

Ref. 4737 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 soughtafter 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 guilloche dial and a platinum case and was launched under the name ?Toledo?.