The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Co...

Geneva, Apr 03, 2005

LOT 125

Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, ?Chronomètre?, No. 400726, case No. 250472. Made in 1931. Very fine and extremely rare, keyless, slim silver pocket lever chronometer with split-seconds chronograph, instantaneous 30-minute register and Guillaume balance. Awarded a ?Bulletin de Première Classe pour pièces compliquées? from the Geneva Observatory in 1932, adjusted by master adjuster Edmond Olivier. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity and a copy of the Observatory certificate.

CHF 12,000 - 18,000

EUR 8,000 - 12,000 / USD 10,000 - 15,000

Sold: CHF 23,000

C. Four-body, "bassine", solid, polished, hinged silver cuvette. D. White enamel with upright Arabic numerals,outer minute track with five-seconds/minute Arabic markers, outermost fifth second timing scale, sunksubsidiary seconds, 30-minute register at 12. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. Cal. 19/20??? P.C.A.B., 48/12, rhodiumplated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 27 jewels, straight line lever escapement, Guillaume balance with gold timingscrews, blued steel Breguet balance spring with double overcoil, Vacheron & Constantin micrometer regulator(Patent CH 101652, registered 1 November 1923).Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 51 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

The Observatory Certificat records the follwing results: compensation error by degree: 0.017; change of rate with change of position: -0,40. The more complicated a timepiece is, the more difficult it is to adjust, particularly as concerns complications such as a chronograph, split-seconds function, and/or a register. The additional wheelwork affects the timepiece's functioning, because of the amount of energy required - but often only sporadically, when, for example, the chronograph is in use - and because of the friction to which the moving parts of the mechanism - levers, springs, etc. - are subjected. It is therefore exceptional to find a timepiece with so many complications and which were submitted to Observatory control. The present watch won the Bulletin de Marche de première classe at the Geneva Observatory.