Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Nov 08, 2025

LOT 78

VACHERON CONSTANTIN, SWITZERLAND, WATCH WITH ALUMINIUM MOVEMENT, DIAL, HANDS AND CASE, ALUMINIUM

CHF 3,500 - 5,500

HKD 34,000 - 54,000 / USD 4,400 - 6,900 / EUR 3,800 - 6,000 / JPY 670,000 - 1,050,000

A fine and rare, aluminum, manual wind open-face, keyless-winding, ultra-light dress-watch, snap-on case-back, subsidiary seconds at 6, aluminium dial and aluminium Breguet hands. Case-back engraved in taille-douce with a dedication by Aluminium Limited 1946.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3-8

Good

Slightly scratched
Movement: 3-6-8*

Good

Slightly oxidized

Slightly scratched

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

Good

HANDS Original

Brand Vacheron Constantin, Switzerland

Year Circa 1945

Movement No. 455175

Case No. 286887

Diameter 45 mm.

Caliber 439/7, 17 jewels, aluminium, with swan-neck micrometer regulator, adjusted to temperature

Weight 20 gr.

Signature Dial, case and movement

Notes

Vacheron Constantin, watch with aluminium movement, dial, hands and case The total WEIGHT of this watch, including case, movement, dial, hands and the glass, is 20 grams! This model of watch was especially and only made by Vacheron Constantin for The Canadian Aluminium Limited Company (Aluminium Fiduciaries Limited, Montreal) in few examples, between 1938 and 1955, and presented to important visitors or offered to the employees of the Canadian company for their 25th anniversary of services. This type of watch is described, around 1950, in different professional newspapers. For a detailed description of Vacheron Constantin aluminium watches, see: Antiquorum Geneva, April 3, 2005, thematic auction, "The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Constantin", Ch. III, pp. 76-77 (lots 47-49). An identical watch was sold by Antiquorum, Geneva, October 14, 1990, for the amount of CHF 27 600.- The watches presented in the thematic auction dedicated to Vacheron Constantin by Antiquorum, Geneva, April 3, 2005, lots 47, 48 and 49, were respectively sold at CHF 9 200.-, CHF 7 475.- and CHF 9 200.- Bibliography "Aluminium Watches", in The American Horologist and Jeweler, July 1949, p. 63. "Des montres en aluminium ?", in Journal Suisse d'Horlogerie et de Bijouterie, Nos 9-10, September-October 1950, pp. 292-293. "Un chronomètre extra-plat en aluminium", in Revue de l'Aluminium, No. 174, February 1951, pp. 59-60. "Chronomètre extra-plat en aluminium", in Revue International de l'Horlogerie Suisse, July 1952, No. 7, pp. 20-22. Antiquorum, Genève, auction, April 3, 2005, "The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Constantin", ch. III, pp. 76-77 (lots 47-49).