Vacheron Constantin
Pink gold chronograph wristwatch, circa 1945
Lot Closed
October 7, 12:51 PM GMT
Estimate
15,000 - 30,000 EUR
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Read more.Lot Details
Description
Vacheron Constantin
Pink gold chronograph wristwatch
Circa 1945
Dial: gilt
Calibre: cal. V434 manual winding, 19 jewels
Movement number: 128'686
Case: 18k pink gold, snap-on case back
Closure: associated alligator strap and metal pin buckle
Size: 37 mm
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: none
Gross weight 49.30 g
A rare and highly attractive example of Vacheron Constantin's mid-century chronograph production, this elegant pink gold wristwatch combines refined aesthetics with genuine technical utility. Distinguished by its telemeter scale, printed around the outer perimeter of the dial, the watch reflects an era when chronographs served as practical instruments as much as luxury timepieces.
Designed to measure the distance of an event visible before it is heard, the telemeter allowed the wearer to calculate range by timing the interval between light and sound, such as lightning and thunder or artillery fire. This functionality found important applications in military, aviation, and scientific contexts during the first half of the twentieth century, highlighting the instrument-like character of the watch.
Encased in warm pink gold and featuring the exceptional craftsmanship for which Vacheron Constantin is renowned, this chronograph represents the perfect marriage of precision engineering and timeless elegance. Its rarity, historical significance, and specialist dial configuration make it a particularly desirable example for collectors of vintage complicated wristwatches.