Vintage Vacheron Constantin: Dial, Case, and Movement Questions from a Newcomer

Hi Omega Forums experts,

I'd like to collect vintage Vacheron but I feel I lack the knowledge to get started. I was hoping to learn by sharing a lovely watch I saw on Instagram and asking questions about it

Here's what I'm wondering:

1) In the last image (up-close shot of the signature) there looks to be some vertical striations. Is this a sign the dial was sanded and restored?
2) Generally, what do you look for when assessing whether a VC dial is completely original? Certain fonts? Accent shape? Anything else?
3) I see the case has an eagle stamp, which I've learned is a French hallmark. Does this mean the case was made in France? If so, does this have any effect on desirability/value?
4) Do people care whether a VC movement has/doesn't have a Geneva seal?
5) Is there anything about this watch that could be a useful lesson for a VC novice?
6) Is there a database somewhere of original VCs that I can use for comparison? In UG collecting there is Sala's book and it has been incredibly useful to me in my UG collecting journey

Thanks in advance for any guidance -- I really appreciate the time and expertise of all the forum members here

insta link

1) Vertical striations on a dial is one of the many signs of a dial being cleaned, though in this case I do not believe the dial has been cleaned.
2) Vacheron, like many other brands, used different fonts over time. Learning which font types and how the signature looked during specific time periods goes a long way in recognizing original dials vs ones that aren't.
3) You can think of France's eagle head like Switzerlands head of helvetia. Signifies 18k gold. Yes this case was made in France. This is further confirmed by what appears to be DeTravers Parisienne Hallmark.
4) VC didn't chase the seal to the same degree as PP. I wouldn't say people don't care. The caliber that so happens to be in this watch is one of my all time favorites: the 453 based of JLC ebauche 449. It came in both 17J and 18J versions. The 18J iterations came out later, around 1950 or so, and sometimes came with the Geneva seal. 17j versions never did.
5) See above.
6) The information use to exist on THL. It no longer exists in one consolidated space. You have to go back to books and really dig.

Thank you for all this great info 🙌

Which books do you recommend as references for VC?