Vacheron Constantin stainless steel ref 6563 Hand wind calibers

I have been offered this 35mm Vacheron & Constantin watch in stainless steel watch several months ago but owing to the long price negotiation process, it has taken much time before I could finally acquired the watch. The watch, in my opinion, is very collectible as its size is 35mm (most are 30, 32mm and 34mm in diameter) plus it is in stainless steel.

Stainless steel vintage Vacheron & Constantin watches from the 1930s to 1960s do exist, but they are relatively rare compared to gold models from the same period. Most Vacheron Constantin wristwatch produced during this era were made in precious metals like yellow gold, pink gold, or platinum, especially for their high-end and complicated pieces.

However, there are documented examples of stainless steel cases, particularly for certain references and models. For instance, the reference 4072 chronograph was produced in both steel and bicolored (steel/gold) versions, although steel versions are much less common and their production numbers were limited. Additionally, some sector dial pocket watches and specific wristwatch models from the 1930s and 1940s are known to have been made in steel.

Overall, while stainless steel vintage Vacheron Constantin watches from the 1930s–1960s are not abundant, they do appear in auction records and specialist collections, often commanding high interest from collectors due to their rarity.

However, owing to a small hairline scratch on the dial, I was able to get the watch at a relatively good price. I have slowly built a small collection of vintage VC watches.

Vintage Vacheron  & Constantin used a wide range of hand‑wound calibers over the 20th century, and any list will be partial rather than truly complete. The calibers below focus on classic, time‑only, hand‑wind movements collectors most often encounter in vintage dress pieces.

1940s–1960s standard manual

• Cal. 453 (sub‑seconds) – manual, time‑only, based on a Jaeger‑LeCoultre ébauche, widely used from the 1940s into the 1960s.

• Cal. 454 (center seconds) – manual, time‑only, center‑seconds version of the 453 with a thicker mainplate to support the extra gearing.

• Cal. 1007/BS (sub‑seconds) – chronometer‑grade, manual, essentially an uprated 453 for Chronomètre Royal, with hacking (balance stop).

• Cal. 1008/BS (center seconds) – center‑seconds version of the 1007/BS with similar chronometer‑oriented upgrades and hacking.

Thin hand‑wound calibers
• Cal. K1001 – thin, manual, sub‑seconds, produced from the 1950s into the late 1970s, derived from a dedicated Jaeger‑LeCoultre base for Vacheron Constantin.

• Cal. K1002 – thin, manual, center‑seconds variant of the K1001, with an extended gear train for the central second hand.

• Cal. K1014 – later thin, manual sub‑seconds movement (about 1970s onward), simplifying the K1001 bridge layout while retaining a slim profile.

Ultra‑thin hand‑wound

• Cal. 1003 – ultra‑thin, manual two‑hand movement (hours and minutes) originally based on the JLC 839/849 family, around 1.64 mm thick and historically one of the thinnest hand‑wound movements ever made.