Important Collectors’ Wristwatches,Po...

New York, Mar 23, 2005

LOT 258

?The Americas? Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, "Mercator,? No. 798751, case No. 684342, Ref. 43050. Made in the 1990s. Very fine and unusual, self-winding, water-resistant to 30 meters, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with 22K yellow gold dial representing the Americas and the Pacific Ocean, double sector graduated for 12 hours and 60 minutes with retrograde hands and an 18K gold Vacheron Constantin deployant clasp. Accompanied by a fitted box and certificate.

USD 20,000 - 25,000

EUR 16,000 - 20,000

Sold: USD 21,275

C. Two-body, solid, polished, transparent case back, rounded band, stepped bezel, overhanging fluted lugs,sapphire crystals. D. 22K yellow gold dial plate engraved with the Americas as well as 2 sectors graduated from1 to 12 for the hours and from 0 to 60 for the minutes, with painted Arabic numerals and indexes. The yellowgold "dauphine" geometrical hands, in the shape of a marine compass reminiscent of the one used by the famouscartographer Gerardus Mercator. M. Cal. 1120, extra-flat, rhodium plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 36 jewels,straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions, self-compensatingflat balance-spring, 21K gold rotor bearing the engraving "1594 - Gérard Mercator - 1994.?Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 36 mm. Thickness: 9 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 1

As new
Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

The case of the "Gérard Mercator? timepieces was inspired by Vacheron Constantin?s "Géographique" line, launched at the end of the 1940s. The different dials of the "Mercator" watches represent the American Continent, and/or Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia and were inspired by a map drawn in 1587 by Gerardus Mercator, the famous cartographer and humanist. Belgian enamellers Lucie and Jean Genbrugge collaborated in the design of the mechanism to control the hour and minute hands, as well as produced dials for the ?Mercator? line of watches. The "Gérard Mercator? model was lanched by Antiquorum on the occasion of the sale ?the Art of Vacheron & Constantin? held in Geneva on November 13, 1994.