Hi,

I am wondering if this Vacheron Constantin is a fake one. Itｓ 18k gold, Caliber 453. There is no SWISS made, no Caliber number, few description..:






Here is the original Caliber 453/3B :


Thank you very much for your input.

st.

 

Calling ulackfocus

 

Looks like a 453 to me, dated by the serial number to about 1938-40. I understand t were various grades of the 453 and the one you have shown looks like a basic model and very near to the JLC ebauche on which it was based. The versions with the swan neck regulator were chronometers I believe and a higher grade of watch, some of which had 18 jewels and the Geneva seal, although the finishing of the first example above is still superb.

You would need to have a close up of the dial to confirm if the dial is refinished or not.

Cheers

Desmond

 

I also think the pictures of the watch in question are overexposed, so much of the finish detail on the movement is difficult to see.

 

That's a trick used to hide faults, so I'd be wary there's something fishy going on.

The dial has been refinished. The ampersand (the "&" symbol) is the wrong font, and there is no accent over the E in GENÈVE - 2 common mistakes made by redialers.

This watch was made around 1935 according to the serial number.

I would walk away from it. As pointed out above, there are some doubts about the movement being 100% correct. I think it's a franken watch of some degree. The dial could even be a JLC dial that was reprinted with V&C, but that's only speculation.

 

I second Desmond's opinions above. The movement is definitely genuine, though its condition is in some question based on the over-exposure.

 

Having owned a few Vacheron's "along the way to going broke" I totally agree. As you may know these 453/3B movements were some of, if not their best mechanical movements. I believe these were most common with a "mushroom" crown.

 

Thank you all very much for your inputs.
I found this kind of caliber on the web: