Hi everyone! My uncle found a gem from his late father. Was wondering if anyone can identify and share some details on this vintage Vacheron Constantin. It looks like this is from the 1950s? Care to share some thoughts. Thanks in advance!
You could probably contact Vacheron and give them the serial number on the case back and the movement and they could give you the reference number of the watch. Alternatively, the reference no. sometimes is carved into the inner case back. It is a good looking watch indeed congrats on the find.
I searched for your watch in my book „Artists of Time“ about Vacheron Constantin, but I didn’t find your specific model. All I can tell you is that they built watches with rectangular shapes since 1940 but most of them appeared in the early fifties.
Good luck in the research. For sure that watch is in incredible condition considering it's age. Those square styles were the hot setup back in the 40's and 50's.
Hopefully you live somewhere within reason of a Vacheron Boutique. If so bring there and I'm sure one of their customer friendly and highly informed sales people will do their best to let you know what ever there is to know about it.
I definitely have seen watches of similar bracelet types from Patek. Can't remember where though... if you take it into a Vacheron Boutique with a watchmaker, they will gladly open it for you. After authentication they'll pull archives too.
An extract from the V&C archives is not free so a boutique is not likely to go overboard in providing you many free details on it.
I agree with the above advice, but, what I find interesting are the lugs on the case which are very similar to the lugs on my 1940s VC. Very unique bracelet too. I can't tell from the lightning, but the case appears to be two tone, rose gold and either white gold or steel.
I talked to a VC Boutique a few years ago to inquire about a 18kt. mushroom crown. I was told that only VC in Berne would have one but they had to send it there but they would need the watch and install the crown after it was serviced. As long as I was "asking" I inquired about an Extract. I was told that they only issue those after they service the watch in question. Total estimated costs for shipping both ways, crown, service and Extract approximately $5k.US and 6 months to a year wait time. BTW: cost of the Extract alone was $1,500.US. Add another $1,500.US for a vintage 18kt. VC tang buckle, and a new VC alligator strap. All of which slightly exceeded the cost of the beautiful vintage 18kt. guilloche dial VC I found. Obviously I didn't but it but now it's one of those that I wish I didn't let get away
Lots of info in this listing for a watch very similar to yours, same case, different dial configuration. Oddly, the seller is US-based and I can find his other listings in English/USD, but this one only comes up in Spanish. The description is English so still useful I hope. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Reloj-de-pulsera-Vacheron-Constantin-Rectangular-con-asas-de-lagrima-grande-de-fantasia-de-multiples-/143200488076?_ul=NI&nma=true&si=Y4kycBOOBLmhS7ewRVNo2Bxd%2FBw%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network For posterity: "For sale is a Vacheron Constantin yellow gold rectangular manual-wind men’s wrist watch with large fancy fluted lugs, also known as multi-teardrop lugs. The watch is triple-signed on its dial, case, and movement. The watch has a two-piece rectangular body made of 18k yellow gold with a snap-on case back and fancy multi-teardrop fluted lugs. The case measures 21mm wide (without crown or lugs), but measures about 25mm wide inclusive of the lugs. The case measures 27mm long without the lugs, but measures about 40mm long inclusive of the lugs – which makes the watch appear far larger than the case alone measurements would otherwise indicate. The watch is about 7mm thick (including the crystal) and has an original crown. The outside of the case is stamped twice with the queen’s head Swiss proof mark (on the side of the case and one lug). It has a two-tone silver dial signed “Vacheron & Constantin Geneve” and “Swiss” with applied yellow gold button and Roman numeral indexes, a black painted chapter ring with black outer minute division indexes, yellow gold baton hands, and a subsidiary seconds dial with outer five second division indexes. The inner section of the dial is in excellent condition, while the outer section of the dial and the subsidiary seconds dial is in good condition showing more age as you advance towards the edges of the dial. Please refer to the photographs of the dial. The case number is 285920 and the movement number is 435999. The watch was likely manufactured in the late 1930’s. The caliber 435/3C tonneau movement has “fausses cotes” decoration and is signed “Vacheron & Constantin Geneve Swiss” and marked 435999, “Adj. To Temp.,” and “Seventeen 17 Jewels.” On the inside of the case cover, which also features “fausses cotes” decoration, is marked “Vacheron & Constantin Swiss,” 285920, with several proof marks, including “18K,” “0.750,” a queen’s head Swiss proof mark, and key. The back of the case is engraved “Gustav Goob,” who was born in Germany in 1881 and became a well-known brew master in the United States. So, you get a little bit of history with the purchase of the watch. The engraving is very well done and, unlike poorly done engravings, does not detract from the beauty of the watch. This exact model (Movement No. 431665, Case No. 285939) sold at Antiquorum on November 13, 1994 (lot 236) for 9,200 CHF (about $ 6,900 back then). Another one sold at Christie’s on November 11, 2013 (lot 94) for 5,000 CHF (about $ 5,440). Another one (Movement No. 442130, Case No. 298668), in pink gold, was offered at Antiquorum (lot 156) on October 24, 2004 with an estimate of 9,500 – 11,500 CHF (about $ 7,850 - $ 9,500 back then). The watch comes with a new reddish brown leather strap with an aftermarket gold-tone buckle. No original box or papers. The watch was recently serviced and is in proper working order and keeps approximate time, but it is sold in “as is” condition with no warranty because it is a vintage wrist watch. I will be listing other Patek Philippe and other fine quality watches for sale in the future. Please see my feedback as a seller of high-quality vintage watches."
Hi! Can you help me to identify this watch? I just bought it and I want to identify what is it exactly.