Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

New York, Jun 15, 2005

LOT 275

So-called "Yellow Cioccolatone" Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, "Automatic", No. 575922, case No. 356529, Ref. 4737. Made in the 1950s. Very fine and rare, large, "carre galbe", center-seconds, self-winding, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with an 18K yellow gold tiled bracelet.

USD 27,000 - 34,000

EUR 20,000 - 26,000

Sold: USD 27,600

C. Two-body, solid, polished, stepped bezel, rounded lugs,domed thick crystal. D. Satiné silver with applied yellow goldpyramid and triangular indexes. Yellow gold "bâton" hands.M. Cal. K 1071, stamped with the Geneva Quality Mark,rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 29 jewels, straightline lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to heat,cold, isochronism and 5 positions, shock-absorber, self-compen-satingBreguet balance-spring, micrometer regulator, 18K goldrotor segment. Dial, case and movement signed.Dim. 36 x 43 mm. Thickness: 12 mm.Approx. overall length : 180 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3 - 6*
Dial: 3 - 5 - 01

Notes

Ref. 4737 is called "cioccolatone" by Italian collectors due to its shape. Several variatons exist, manual winding, Ref. 4822, the self-winding Ref. 4764 and 4737, 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 superim-posed "levels". At the time, it was made in yellow gold, more rarely in pink gold, and only two examples in white gold. It was reintro-duced as of 2003 with a guilloche dial, and was launched under the name "Toledo", with a platinum case.