The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Co...

Geneva, Apr 03, 2005

LOT 130

?White Cioccolatone? Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, ?Automatic?, No. 505636, case No. 343243, Ref. 4737. Made in 1954 in two examples. Extremely fine and exceptionally rare, large, curved, "carré", center-seconds, self-winding, 18K white gold gentleman's wristwatch with white gold Vacheron & Constantin buckle. Accompanied by the original fitted box and Certificate of Authenticity.

CHF 0 - 0

EUR 0 - 0 / USD 0 - 0

Sold: CHF 204,250

C. Two-body, solid, polished, stepped bezel, rounded lugs, domed thick crystal. D. Satiné silver with applied whitegold pyramid and triangular indexes. White gold "bâton" hands. M. Cal. P 499, rhodium-plated, ?fausses côtes?decoration, 21 jewels, straight line lever escapement, beryllium balance with timing screws, adjusted totemperatures, shock-absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring, swan neck micrometer regulator, heavy metal rotor.Dial, case and movement signed.Dim. 36 x 43 mm. Thickness: 12 mm.


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Notes

The present watch was made in only two examples. The first is in the Vacheron Constantin Museum; the second is the present watch. Ref. 4737 is called ?cioccolatone? by Italian collectors due to its shape. Several variatons exist: the self-winding Ref. 4764 with calendar and moon phases; Ref. 6440 with center seconds; Ref. 6440Q, with date. These models are the most admired and sought-after wristwatches of the 1950s. Vacheron Constantin, always innovative, was clearly ahead of its time in offering a model so unusual in size and shape. Particularly pleasing was the rounded outline of the case, with its superimposed ?levels?. At the time, it was made in yellow gold, more rarely in pink gold, and only two examples in white gold. It was reintroduced as of 2003 with a guilloche dial and a platinum case and was launched under the name ?Toledo?. For similar watches in rose gold, see lots 153 and 154, and in yellow gold, see lots 220 and 221.