The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Co...

Geneva, Apr 03, 2005

LOT 154

?Pink Cioccolatone? Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, ?Automatic?, No. 557862, case No. 386378, Ref. 6440. Made in 1962. Extremely fine and very rare, large, curved, "carré", center-seconds, self-winding, 18K pink gold gentle-man's wristwatch with a pink gold Vacheron Constantin buckle. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

CHF 40,000 - 50,000

EUR 25,000 - 32,000 / USD 35,000 - 42,000

Sold: CHF 46,000

C. Two-body, solid, polished, stepped bezel, rounded lugs, domed thick crystal. D. Silvered, ?sunburst?, withapplied pink gold faceted indexes. Pink gold "bâton" hands. M. Cal. 12??? 1071, rhodium-plated, ?fausses côtes?decoration, stamped with the Geneva Seal, 29 jewels, straight line lever escapement, beryllium balance withtiming screws, adjusted to temperatures, shock-absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring, swan-neckmicrometer regulator.Dial, case and movement signed.Dim. 36 x 43 mm. Thickness: 12 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 5 - 01

Notes

This watch is one of a series of ten examples in pink and yellow gold, manufactur started in 1961. Ref. 6440 is called ?cioccolatone? by Italian collectors due to its shape. Several variatons exist, manual winding, Ref. 4822, the self-winding Ref. 4764 and 6440 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 guilloché dial, and was launched under the name ?Toledo?, with a platinum case. For an similar watch in white gold, see lot 130, and in yellow gold, see lots 220 and 221.