The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Co...

Geneva, Apr 03, 2005

LOT 226

?Minute-Repeater? Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 501911, case No. 328057, Ref. 4261. Made in 1952. Extremely fine and very rare, large, extra-flat, minute-repeating, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch. Accompanied by an 18K yellow gold Vacheron Constantin buckle and a Certificate of Authenticity.

CHF 180,000 - 220,000

EUR 120,000 - 140,000 / USD 150,000 - 180,000

Sold: CHF 193,250

C. Three-body, solid, polished, stepped bezel, overhanging concave lugs. D. Silvered, ?sunburst?, with appliedyellow gold baton indexes. Yellow gold "bâton" hands. M. Cal. 13??? J.M.V. Rep. Min., 3.1 mm thick, rhodium-plated,"fausses côtes" decoration, 29 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance adjusted totemperatures and 2 positions, flat balance-spring, index regulator, repeating on gongs via slide on the band.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 37 mm. Thickness: 8 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

Towards the mid-20th century, Vacheron Constantin produced only 36 examples of minute-repeating wristwatches, in in pink, yellow, white gold and in platinum: 26 examples in the 1940s, and a further 10 beginning in 1951. Of these, only ten examples of large extra-flat minute-repeating wristwatches had a 13''' movement (3.1 thickness, total thickness without glass 5.8 mm): 8 in yellow gold, one in pink gold, and two in platinum, including the present watch. Collectors and professionals the world over consider Vacheron Constantin minute-repeating watches to be the most beautiful ones made during the last seventy years. For a note on minute repeaters, see lot 41. For a similar watch in platinum, see lot 41, and in pink gold, see lot 142.