Exceptional Horological Sale Celebrat...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 24, 2004

LOT 152

So-called "American Calendar" Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 412569, case No. 257285, Made in 1936. Very elegant and extremely rare 18K white and yellow gold, thin, keyless Art Deco dress watch with digital triple date. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

CHF 12,000 - 18,000

EUR 7,600 - 11,300 / USD 9,400 - 14,000

Sold: CHF 28,750

C. Three-piece, two-tone brushed bezels and back, "couteau" band.D. Matte silver, with Breguet chapter ring at 12, above the aperture for day, date and month, subsidiary seconds at 6. Blued steel Breguet hands.M. 35 mm (16???), "fausses-côtes" decoration, 18 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with 8 adjustments, flat balance spring.Signed on dial, case and movement.Diam. 45 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

The digital watch, better than any other, captured the innovative spirit of Art Deco, in that all superfluous ornaments are eliminated. It is an example of the freedom of vision tied to the purity of line and a new state of mind. The outpouring of new ideas that transformed architecture, fashion, costume, and the life-style of millions of people, left its mark on horology as well. It is true, without a doubt, that the most beautiful and elegant examples come from the Art Deco period. Even the means of reading the hour was revised, as designers and stylists, in search of extreme elegance, replaced hands and dials with small windows through which appeared the hours and minutes. The present watch takes this vision one step further, with the additional complication of the in-line digital calendar.