Lowly Vacheron Constantin for GatorCPA

Interstatetime · Jun 17, 2014

I know it is not one of the "Big Three". I know it only has a house finished JLC movement. This one even has a refinished waffle dial (decent refin). But the movement is pretty and the 18k case weighs over 3/4 of a troy ounce. It is pretty big for a late '40s watch at 42mm measured diagonally. I like it even if Vasch is not in the Bigs. (Sorry for the crummy iPhone/window light pix.)

JohnCote

ulackfocus · Jun 17, 2014

Uh….. did I miss something? The big three are Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet.

Interstatetime · Jun 17, 2014

Not according to Gatorcpa. He says JLC is in the top three with Patek and AP. Maybe there is a top 4. Maybe we all have our prejudices. I don't really care. I am just having fun with this. I bought this watch yesterday before I started this fun argument so I was sort of in a Vach state of mind.

JohnnyC

LouS · Jun 17, 2014

Lange? What about Lange ? I demand a recount!

gatorcpa · Jun 17, 2014

I was poking the bear a little bit on that other post. 😜

IMO, there's really no "top" anything. The Swiss companies used a lot of the same suppliers for parts back then to save costs. Yes, even Patek.

You are approaching this the right way. Just have fun with it. 👍
gatorcpa

PS - As Dennis would say, "NFW, dude!"

Interstatetime · Jun 17, 2014

I love a good fight. Do watch nerds fight?

JC

gatorcpa · Jun 17, 2014

Interstatetime
Do watch nerds fight?

Only like this...

gatorcpa

Interstatetime · Jun 17, 2014

Now that is funny. Love Monte P!

JohnnyC

Interstatetime · Jun 17, 2014

BTW, does anybody know what the reference number of my VC is? The serial number dates it to the late 1940's. There is a photo of it in "The complete price Guide to Watches by Shugart, Engle and Gilbert but I can't find any pictures of this watch anywhere else.

JohnCote

cicindela · Jun 17, 2014

LouS
Lange? What about Lange ? I demand a recount!

Hear, hear 👍

Privateday7 · Jun 17, 2014

LouS
Lange? What about Lange ? I demand a recount!

I agree with you until I realized Lange is GERMAN company and the Big three or Watch Trinity is attributed to SWISS watch companies.
🍿

ulackfocus · Jun 17, 2014

Lange has only been the Lange we know of since the 1990's. It looks like they're making up for lost time while they were behind the Iron Curtain, but they have decades and decades to go. Yes, I know they existed for a looooong time - but not as the high end company they are now.

ELV web · Jun 17, 2014

Hi John, another lowly Vacheron brother saying hello! Or shall I say a cousin, the inside of this one is a bumper automatic.

ELV web · Jun 17, 2014

Interesting story re its rolex brother. But for Vacheron, this is not referred to as cioccolatone but rather "the tank" (courtesy THL discussion). Just a fun anecdote that is made up by the public (Italians....) but not officially from the manufacturer.

Interstatetime · Jun 17, 2014

Thanks for the info ELV. You Vach has exactly the same case. The rolex Cioccolatone is beautiful and almost the same case. Mille grazie.

GianniC

ELV web · Jun 17, 2014

Hi John, Gianni (you are confusing me). Just on the reference number, mine is "4657", not sure if yours could be the same given different movement but perhaps the verification can start from there.

Reference no. for square watch VC as follows:
Vacheron Square Watches
4821 18k, manual, stepped case, rounded corners, ca1940s
4657 18k, auto, stepped lugs, engine turned dial, ca1950
4695 18k, manual, very large fancy lugs, ca1950
4737 18k, auto, stepped case, round corners, ca1955
4449 18k manual, diamond dial, fancy lugs, ca1950

Eric

Interstatetime · Jun 17, 2014

The only reference with the same case is your 4657. I have found a couple of pictures of dials like mine. Who knows. It seems to be a pretty nice watch. It is not a whole lot different from the Cioccolatone...except for the value. Oh well.

The Gianni alter ego....viene fuori quando mi sono esposto a italiano sia in forma scritta o parlata...

JohnCote

Interstatetime · Jun 18, 2014

The kind people at Vacheron Constantin USA have tentatively confirmed that this is a 4657. They believe that the early versions of this reference were manual wind. I should have confirmation from the VC archives soon.

Thanks for all of your help

JohnCote

gatorcpa · Jun 18, 2014

Here's a very similar watch that sold back in 2006. Case and movement serial numbers are close. Automatic movement though:

http://www.antiquorum.com/catalog/lots/vacheron-constantin-lot-137-45?brand_facet=Vacheron & Constantin&estimate_facet=5000-10000&grading_facet=AA&page=1

Extreme close up:

http://images2.antiquorum.com/auctions-images/137/lots/45/45.jpg

gatorcpa

Interstatetime · Jun 18, 2014

Thanks Gator. That watch is very close. We will see what the archivist says. The way the auto movement mounts means that the interior of the the manual wind case is differently made than the interior of the auto wind version. I have manual and auto wind heuer GMTs from the same year also. I guess that some folks just didn't believe in auto wind.

JC