The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Co...

Geneva, Apr 03, 2005

LOT 200

Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 416360, case No. 298210, Ref. 4414. Made in 1946. Very fine and extremely rare, slim, 18K yellow gold, keyless ?World Time? dress watch, finished by Louis Cottier. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

CHF 70,000 - 90,000

EUR 45,000 - 60,000 / USD 60,000 - 75,000

Sold: CHF 138,000

C. Three-body, solid, ?variée?, polished, with satiné back, back engraved ?Wechsler-Week, Oct. 1, 1945- April1946?. D. Three-tone, matte, silvered, with applied gold faceted bâton indexes, outer revolving Arabic chapterring for 24-hour indication, outermost world time chapter ring bearing the name of 31 global locations. Gold?baton? hands. M. Cal. 17??? 15/12 heure universelle, rhodium plated, ?fausses côtes? decoration, 18 jewels,straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance adjusted to temperature and five positions,blued-steel flat balance spring, index regulator.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 45 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

Vacheron Constantin made only a few very small series - of 6 to 7 pierces each - employing the World Time system. The present watxh was finished by the distinguished inventor of the World Time system, Louis Cottier. This watch was sold by Antiquorum Geneva on October 15, 1989, as lot 126. The "World Time" system It was invented around 1935 by Louis Cottier (1894-1966), the famous independent watch-maker in Geneva. Considered by many to be the most practical and important inventions of modern horology, his "World Time" patents were used by Agassiz and other major manufacturers in the Swiss watch industry, including Patek Philippe, Rolex and Vacheron & Constantin.