Identification of an early Vacheron Constantin movement (Serial 148410, Cal. 19''

kosta · Mar 10, 2026

Hello everyone,
I am looking for expert insight on a high-grade Swiss movement I recently acquired. All signs point to a Vacheron Constantin manufacture from the late 1870s/early 1880s.
Key details:

Serial Number: 148410 (located under the dial).
Size: 43mm (19 lignes). Marked '43' near the wheels.
Finishing: Exceptional hand-polished anglage with sharp internal angles, Wolf’s Teeth winding, and rubies in gold chatons.
Markings: 'DEPOSE' on the pillar plate, 'Avance/Retard' on the regulator.
Condition: Fully functional, keeps good time. Comes with the original enamel dial.

Based on the serial, this should be a Vacheron production from circa 1880. I would appreciate any information regarding the specific ebauche grade and its rarity. Is it worth requesting an Extract from the Archives for this particular movement?

ErichKeane · Mar 10, 2026

I'm curious what makes you think it is a VC? I spent a while looking at VC movements and this doesn't look anything like any I've seen, and lacks a lot of the 'design language' from the VC movements I've seen.

It looks like even back then that VC was VERY proud of their brand, and would put it everywhere 😀

kosta · Mar 10, 2026

ErichKeane
I'm curious what makes you think it is a VC? I spent a while looking at VC movements and this doesn't look anything like any I've seen, and lacks a lot of the 'design language' from the VC movements I've seen.

It looks like even back then that VC was VERY proud of their brand, and would put it everywhere

Thank you for your input! However, in the late 19th century (circa 1880), Vacheron Constantin frequently produced 'unsigned' movements for high-end retailers, where the branding was only on the case and dial.
The 'design language' here is actually quite specific to VC's top-grade ebauches:

Serial 148410 fits perfectly into the VC archives for ~1880.
Sharp internal angles on the finger bridges (hand-finished anglage).
Wolf's teeth winding wheels, which were a signature of VC's high-grade 19''' calibers.
The 'DEPOSE' marking and hidden serial under the dial are consistent with VC production of that era.

Most mass-produced movements from LeCoultre or others wouldn't have this level of finissage (sharp angles and wolf's teeth). I'm considering an Extract from the Archives to settle this."

kosta · Mar 10, 2026

ErichKeane
I'm curious what makes you think it is a VC? I spent a while looking at VC movements and this doesn't look anything like any I've seen, and lacks a lot of the 'design language' from the VC movements I've seen.

It looks like even back then that VC was VERY proud of their brand, and would put it everywhere 😀

If this isn't a Vacheron, then which manufacture in 1880 was producing 19''' calibers with hand-finished sharp internal angles and wolf's teeth winding, while using the exact serial number range (148xxx) reserved for Vacheron Constantin in Geneva?

Pvt-Public · Mar 12, 2026

K kosta
while using the exact serial number range (148xxx) reserved for Vacheron Constantin in Geneva?

Never heard of “reserved” serial numbers by brand before. Methinks is B.S.

kosta · Mar 12, 2026

Pvt-Public
Never heard of “reserved” serial numbers by brand before. Methinks is B.S.

Every major Manufacture in the 19th century (Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Longines, etc.) maintained their own proprietary serial number systems. These are well-documented in official brand archives and horological databases.
For Vacheron Constantin, the range 140,000 to 150,000 is historically assigned to the years 1878–1881. This isn't 'reserved' in a legal sense, but it is a factual chronological record used by the VC Heritage Department to issue 'Extracts from the Archives'.
If anyone doubts this, they can check any reputable reference like the 'Pocket Watch Database'or Vacheron’s own service history tables. Using a serial number to identify a manufacture is standard practice in vintage horology.

JimInOz · Mar 12, 2026

K kosta
Wolf's teeth winding wheels, which were a signature of VC's high-grade 19''' calibers.

Could you point out for me the "wolf's teeth" wheels in the example you've posted?

I can't see any, they all look like standard straight cut wheels.

kosta · Mar 12, 2026

JimInOz
Could you point out for me the "wolf's teeth" wheels in the example you've posted?

I can't see any, they all look like standard straight cut wheels.

I’ve taken some macro shots at an angle to clarify the details.
As you can see on these photos [links], the winding wheelsfeature a distinct asymmetrical 'Wolf's Teeth' (Dents de Loup) profile. The teeth are curved and hooked, which is a hallmark of high-end Geneva finishing from the late 19th century.
Also, look at the internal angleson the bridges - they are sharp and hand-polished (Anglage), not rounded like machine-cut ebauches. Combined with the serial 148,410, which fits the VC archives for 1880, this confirms the high-grade manufacture of this movement.

JimInOz · Mar 12, 2026

I don't see wolf's teeth here, they look to be standard involute form gear teeth.
These are "wolf's teeth" wheels. Note the sharp curve of the teeth where the leading power tooth "rolls" against the curved surface of the load tooth.

kosta · Mar 12, 2026

JimInOz
I don't see wolf's teeth here, they look to be standard involute form gear teeth.
These are "wolf's teeth" wheels. Note the sharp curve of the teeth where the leading power tooth "rolls" against the curved surface of the load tooth.

Regarding your point on the involute form: while the photo you provided shows the early, exaggerated 'Gothic' style of wolf's teeth (typical for mid-19th century key-wind movements), we must consider the specific historical transition of Vacheron Constantin circa 1880.

By the era of my serial 148,410, top Geneva houses moved toward a more 'engineered' asymmetrical epicycloidal profile. This refined shape was necessary for the new stem-wind (crown-set) mechanisms to ensure smoother engagement and durability compared to the older, deeply hooked teeth. If you look closely at my macro shots, the teeth are clearly not symmetrical— the leading edge has a distinct curve, and the trailing edge is steeper, which is the hallmark of a high-grade 1880s 'Wolf's Teeth' implementation.

Most importantly, horological identification is based on the sum of all parts. A standard involute LeCoultre ebauche of that era would feature simple triangular teeth and, crucially, would lack the sharp internal angles on the bridges seen here (hand-finished anglage).

Combined with the exact serial sequence (148,410) - which is specifically documented in Vacheron Constantin’s 1880 ledgers - this level of finissage and archival matching provides a definitive 'fingerprint' of the Manufacture

kosta · Mar 12, 2026

JimInOz
I don't see wolf's teeth here, they look to be standard involute form gear teeth.
These are "wolf's teeth" wheels. Note the sharp curve of the teeth where the leading power tooth "rolls" against the curved surface of the load tooth.

To the user who doubted the 'design language' and the 'wolf's teeth':
Here is a confirmed Vacheron Constantin Cal. 19''' Lépine (No. 279712) for comparison: [ссылка на patina-watch-studio].
As you can see, it is identical to mine in every way:

The bridge architecture is a perfect match.
The winding wheels have the exact same 'wolf's teeth' profile that you called 'standard'.
Most importantly, the bridges are unsigned, just like on my movement 148,410.

This proves that VC produced high-grade, unsigned calibers where the Manufacture was identified by the hidden serial number and the quality of the hand-finishing
https://patina-watch-studio.com/ru/products/vacheron-constantin-no-279712-for-project

JimInOz · Mar 12, 2026

We obviously have opposing opinions as to what "wolf's teeth" wheels are, so I'll leave further dicussion to other members.

kosta · Mar 12, 2026

JimInOz
We obviously have opposing opinions as to what "wolf's teeth" wheels are, so I'll leave further dicussion to other members.

I appreciate the exchange of views and your perspective on these technical nuances. Horology is a field of constant learning, and I value the opportunity to discuss such details with the community.

While we may have different interpretations of the 'Wolf's Teeth' profile for this specific 1880s transition period, the bridge architecture, the hand-finished anglage, and the serial number 148,410 (which aligns perfectly with the VC archives for 1880) provide a compelling case for its provenance.

I'll leave the thread here for now, but I would certainly welcome any further insights from other members who have experience with high-grade 'Private Label' or unsigned Geneva movements from the late 19th century.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this identification!