The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Co...

Geneva, Apr 03, 2005

LOT 220

?Yellow Cioccolatone? Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 463729, case No. 324177, Ref. 4764. Made in 1952. Very fine and extremely rare, large, astronomic, "carré", 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with full calendar and moon phases, and a yellow gold Vacheron Constantin buckle. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

CHF 70,000 - 90,000

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

Sold: CHF 92,000

C. Two-body, shaped, polished, curved, stepped bezel, rounded lugs, thick domed crystal. D. Matte silver withapplied gold indexes and Arabic numerals, sunk subsidiary seconds dial, outer graduation for the days of themonth, apertures for the days of the week, the months and the moon phases. Yellow gold "bâton" hands.M. Cal. 12 1/2??? P495, rhodium plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 17 jewels, lever escapement, berylliumbalance with timing screws, adjusted to temperatures, shock-absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring,swan-neck micrometer regulator.Dial, case and movement signed.Dim. 36 x 43 mm. Thickness: 13 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

Ref. 4764 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 guilloche dial, and was launched under the name ?Toledo?, with a platinum case. For a similar watch in white gold, see lot 130, and in pink gold, see lots 153 and 154.