Important Collector's Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Dec 02, 2003

LOT 415

Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 464269, case No. 614921, This watch was awarded First Prize in The Neuchatel Observatory Timing contest in 1947. Cased and sold in 1989.An exceptional keyless, 18K pink gold pocket chronometer with one-minute tourbillon regulator and Guillaume balance, which obtained 922 points at the 1948 Neuchatel Observatory Timing Contest, adjusted by master adjuster Urbain Brahier. Accompanied by original leather fitted box.

USD 0 - 0

EUR 0 - 0

Sold: USD 299,500

C. three-piece, stepped bezels, double reeded band. D. solid 18K pink gold, applied gold radial Roman numerals, engine turned center and outermost. Gold "Dauphine" hands. M. 50 mm (22???), pink gold gilt brass decorated with vermicelli pattern, going barrel with over-winding protection click, 20 jewels, tourbillon regulator with 3-arm equidistant carriage, lateral calibrated lever escapement, anibal-brass Guillaume compensation balance with special alloy Breguet balance spring, micrometric reguator with pin gap closing option.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 60 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good

Movement: 1

As new

Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

On March 27, 1930, the Horological School of Le Sentier registered specifications for a tourbillon regulator, which in time proved to be tremendously successful. Vacheron Constantin used this ebauche for their best tourbillons destined for Observatory trials.s.The design of this watch is very well thought-out: the arbor of the pallet fork is set outside the fourth wheel, allowing for a longer fork and facilitating manufacture. The entire carriage is very elegant, with symmetrically placed components; the escape wheel is symmetrical with the fork, the stud with the regulator base but placed on the opposite side for equilibrium. The poising bar placed on the opposite side of the escape wheel and fork bridge has threaded holes for poising screws similaro a compensation balance - also a very useful feature. The train from the third wheel is placed on a separate plate. The winding system, a combination of Adrien Philippe?s and LeCoultre?s rocking bar designs, creates a very stable system, eliminating the necessity for intermediate setting wheels and thus decreasing the resistance of the motion train which has a high number of teeth to ensure smooth transmission. The regulator has a provision for closing the pin?s gap, assuring a high level of ischronism.Many of these movements were kept by the company. Toward the end of the 1980?s Vacheron Constantin cased a few which were then sold to some of their best clients; this being one of them. Another, only two numbers apart, case No. 614923 was sold to Asprey, and chosen to represent the company?s achievements in the field of tourbillons in ?The World of Vacheron Constantin?, p. 231.