Exceptional Horological Sale Celebrat...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 24, 2004

LOT 144

Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, 144 No. 414446, case No. 12784 by Verger Frères à Paris, made in 1930. Extremely rare and fine "montre à volets carre à coins arrondis", 18K white and yellow gold Art Deco gentleman?s wristwatch with dial concealed by shutters, two crowns and an 18K yellow gold buckle. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

CHF 40,000 - 60,000

EUR 25,000 - 38,000 / USD 31,000 - 47,000

Sold: CHF 36,800

C. three-body, two-tone, solid, polished and brushed, case back with screws, stylized black enamel Arabic numerals and triangular indexes on the yellow gold bezel, white gold band and winding-crowns, hooded lugs, yellow gold band, white gold shutters opening by the means of a crown at 3 o'clock, winder at 9 o'clock.D. matte silver with painted indexes. "Breguet" blued steel hands.M. 9''', rhodium-plated, 15 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance adjusted to 5 positions, flat balance-spring.Signed on the dial and movement, numbered and stamped on the case.Dim. 26 x 32 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent

Case: 3

Good

Movement: 3

Good

Dial: 3 - 5 - 01

Notes

A similar watch is published in "L'Univers de Vacheron Con-stantin" by Carole Lambelet and Lorette Coen, 1992, p. 389. Verger Paris. Two generations of designers and casemakers were founded by Ferdinand Verger in 1872, in the Place des Victoires in Paris. Ferdinand Verger bought the firm of Lepine in the Place des Victoires from Roux in 1901. In 1914 he sold the remaining stock to Louis Leroy but kept the trade mark which he again registered in 1917. In 1911, the firm moved to 51 rue Sainte Anne under the name of Verger Frères. The master-mark became 'V.F.' They were the Paris agents for Vacheron & Constantin, buying movements and making cases for the French market. They made watch cases and jewels for the finest jewelers of the world, including Boucheron, Mauboussin, Ostertag, Tiffany, La Cloche, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. Some of their models are very original, such as the so-called 'Bras en l'air' made with a figure of Buddah or of a Mandarin, the famous 'Radiateur', often sold as a purse clasp, the 'Montres â Volets', produced for Ostertag, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Mauboussin, Gübelin, and Tiffany, and the celebrated 'Montre Cadenas', specially designed for Van Cleef & Arpels. They also were the creators of the outstanding mystery clocks, the pride of Cartier in the 1920s and 30s.