Vintage Vacheron Constantin Watch Collection

I have finally managed to finetune and adjusted my collection of vintage Vacheron & Constantin watches with the followng key characteristics:

1. All Watches Size above 34mm

2. All screw back case

3. Watch in Pristine condition

4. Unique case and dial design

The three watches show the incredible creativity of Vacheron Constantin in shaped cases, in lug design and dial design, and movements differentiation

Rose gold watches are not easy to photograph unless put aside with yellow gold watches

All three watches are all screw back

July - Sept 2024 Q3 review

One of the greatest challenge for watch collecting is to stay focus. However, we cannot predict what watch is going to appear in front of us as collecting vintage watches is about luck and right timing. Instead of rigidly following rules, I have somehow become more relax about the watch hunt and collect those unique watches that come along my way for July till Mid Sept 2024.

However, along the way, I have met up with fellow watch collector Jon near end August who has pointed out the important of watch collecting direction again and focus. Key questions include what kind of watches do I intend to keep? Am i keeping them to flip or to pass down to next generation? As you can see, zero Rolex watches this time as I have managed to consolidate my Rolex collections especially the Bubbleback, Prince watches and the pre 1970s.

Nivada Grenchen depthomatic diver automatic ref. 104 is a surprise buy as I have been eyeing it 36 months ago and it is suddenly available for purchase.

In Chinese there is a saying 好事成雙 Nivada Grenchen depthomatic diver automatic ref. 104, another surprise buy as didn't expect it to appear

Novada Grenchen Leonardo Da Vinci Worldtimer watch 

Vacheron Constantin ref 4465 first automatic bumper movement in 18k rose gold

Tudor 7926 in great condition

I sold my non-core watch such as the rare solid gold Tissot World time to fellow collector Jon. After my conversations with Jon, I have decided to actively reset my key direction in building a small collection of Vacheron & Constantin. I shall continue to let go non core watches as well.

Traded/Sold Watches:

1. Jan 14 : Sold Vintage Mickey Mouse Watch

2. Jan 22 : Sold Big Bubbleback 5075

3. Feb 26 : Sold spare CWC Military

4. March 25 : Sold Ernie watch

5. May 9 : Sold JLC new old stock steel auto date

6. May 9  : Sold Seiko slim watch

7. May 11 : Sold Silvana steel watch 

8. May 15 : Traded Avila jumping seconds plus telephone dial watch for a Longines Tonneau watch

9. May 29 : Traded a Roger Debuis ashtray for a 1972 Nixon watch

10. May 23 : Zenith square automatic date

11. May 25 : Traded Eska for a Seiko 6138-0040 bullhead 

12. May 27 : Sold a spare Rado Lapis dial watch  

13. May 31 : Traded Omega constellation plus cash top up for a Rolex Bubbleback 

14. June 13 : Seiko Bullhead 6138-0040 

15. June 19 : IWC steel with bracelet

16. June 28 : Omega Constellation 168.005 for VC 4996

17. June 28 : Rolex Bubbleback ref 2940 for VC 4996

18. August 17 : Rolex Bubbleback 5015 Scientific dial

19. August 26 : Tissot Worldtimer

20. September 13 : Patek Philippe

21. September 24 : Vintage Citizen Watch

Wish lists :

1. Glashutte Original Singapore Edition

2. Vacheron Constantin Overseas 42040

3. Jaeger Lecoultre gold pothole?

History of Vacheron & Constantin movements

Vacheron & Constantin's first automatic wrist watch was introduced in 1951, the 12-ligne bumper-winding caliber 477 with central seconds.  Like all of their calibers since 1938, it was based upon a rough-finished ebauche from their movement supplier Jaeger LeCoultre. 

I have collected a small collection of vintage Vacheron Constantin watches covering ref 4465 (Caliber P454 hand wind) ref 6692 (Caliber 477) and ref 6694 (Caliber 1072).

First generation automatic bumper movement Caliber 477

Cal. 477 .Their first rotor-winding calibers appeared in 1954.  Based on movements developed exclusively for V&C, caliber 498 featured subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock while caliber 499 had central seconds.  They were 0.75mm thinner than the 477 bumpers, with rotors running on four hidden steel bearings located close to the center pivot. 

2nd Generation automatic Caliber 4.98/ ＇4..99

Cal. 498/499. Further evolution of the 498/499 led to V&C’s first bidirectional-winding automatic in 1956, the caliber 1019 with central seconds; replacing the 498/499 after only two years in production.

3rd Generation Caliber 1019

Caliber 1019. The 1019 was followed by a new design in 1959, the familiar caliber 107X family. 

4th Generation Caliber  1070/71/72

Calibers 1070 and 1071, like the 498/499, featured sub-seconds and central seconds respectively.  Their distinctive guilloche gold-segment rotors displayed four ruby rollers.  While the diameter remained the same as the 498/499, the overall height increased by 0.10mm. There are some confusion with regards to cal 1071 vs 1072 as previously many thought that the difference between calibers 1071 and 1072 is the fact that the latter has a date function. 

However, the caliber 1071 was made for only 5 years (1958-1963) and subsequently derived into caliber 1072 and models with caliber 1072 without date are using cal 1071 renamed cal 1072. 

However models with caliber 1071 were produced from 1958 til circa 1972, which means that basically during that time (1958-1972) VC had non date models using both calibers 1071 and 1072.

Informations from the forum :

 https://www.watchprosite.com/vacheron-constantin/the-forgotten-calibers-vacheron--constantin-sub-second-automatics/14.1170424.9262794/

https://forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=msg&th=985812&rid=0

Prior to the.automatic, we have the P454 hand wind movement as below

Aaron Taylor Johnson和劳力士泡泡背

Aaron Taylor Johnson and Rolex Bubbleback (劳力士泡泡背)

Rolex Hooded Bubbleback ref 6064

Rolex bubbleback is always one of my favourite vintage watch.  This is a Rolex Hooded bubbleback from the 1930s-40s. As a watch collector, we all realised that the Bubblebacks were important for the brand. They not only paved the way for decades of self-winding Oyster Perpetual models, perhaps what Rolex is the most known for, but they also demonstrate how sometimes, even a giant like Rolex had to find work-arounds for their most advanced technological innovations. In the case of the Bubbleback, form clearly followed function. 

Comparison between a normal vs hooded Bubbleback

Vacheron Constantin 18k rose gold ref 4465 bumper automatic watch

I have always love rose gold watches. This 18k rose gold Vacheron & Constantin Geneva ref 4665 wristwatch, from the 1953 as it has a nice size and dial design. It is considered oversized at the time, as it has a 35mm case. It also has a lovely silver guilloché & champlevé enamel dial with the brand's signature and the maltese cross at 12 o'clock. In addition, the watch has a screw back case. It is the first VC’s first automatic wrist watch was introduced in 1951, the 12-ligne bumper-winding caliber 477 with central seconds.  

Like all of their calibers since 1938, it was based upon a rough-finished ebauche from their movement supplier Jaeger LeCoultre. It is a self-winding watch powered by a Vacheron & Constantin bumper automatic movement high grade caliber 477/1 - The first Vacheron & Constantin automatic movement with sweep second hand, introduced in 1951 and only produced for two years through 1952.

This bumper automatic movement uses a rotor which arcs backwards and forwards between the two bumper springs to wind the watch. The rotor is heavy with the purpose of increasing the efficiency of the auto winding mechanism. When the wrist moves the rotor moves too and you can feel and hear the rotor bouncing between the two bumper springs. The movement features 17 jewels, sweep second hand, adjusted to temperatures, 18,800 A/h, Geneve - Swiss made. The Vacheron & Constantin high grade caliber 477/1 comes from the wily documented days of the Jaeger-LeCoultre and Vacheron & Constantin partnership, one of the alliances, the 477/1 is based on the caliber JLC 481.

Even though I have missed collecting the Vacheron ref 6562, I am forunuate to be able to find this rare pink gold bumoer movement Vacheron. This shall be my last watch purchase for the year and it matched well with my VC ref 6694 Batman and ref 4996 Devil’s horn。Even though Vacheron has a long history of watch production, owing to the high positioning, prices are quite high. 

Moreover, I am limiting myself to collecting watches above 34mm in size as part of the criteria, making it harder to collect watches.

Rose gold watches are not easy to photograph unless put aside with yellow gold watches

The three watches seating together

江詩丹頓Vacheron & Constantin 的第一款自動腕錶於 1951 年推出，採用 12 法分緩衝上鍊機芯 477 bumper automatic movement，並配有中央秒針和它有一個漂亮的設計錶盤。  與 1938 年以來的所有機芯一樣，它是基於機芯供應商積家 (Jaeger LeCoultre) 的基本ebauche 打造的。这款江诗丹顿日内瓦腕表，20世纪50年代，当时被认为是超大号，有一个38毫米的表壳和一个银色的guilloché & champlevé珐琅表盘，12点钟处有该品牌的签名和马耳他十字架。

Another similar watch in yellow gold

https://www.watchprosite.com/page-wf.forumpost/fi-14/ti-1287616/dv-true/wf.responses.open_bLoB_s-0/

https://goldammer.me/products/vacheron-constantin-18k-rose-1940s

There are also ref 4465 without the cross on the dial, probably made for the Middle East market.

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/nine-vintage-vacheron-constantin-watches-new-york-boutique

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White gold ref 4465 fropm the internet

https://www.beyondthedial.com/post/collector-guide-why-are-vintage-vacheron-constantin-dress-watches-undervalued/