Vacheron Constantin 18k gold vintage watch - New Old Stock - c1950s

Description

This is a very important high-grade Vacheron Constantin watch that I’m releasing from my private collection [Cal P454/5B / Case 344297 / Movement 509957] - absolutely magnificent. It is extremely rare to find a New Old Stock Vacheron from the early 1950s - for the uninitiated, New Old Stock means never sold, never worn, stored for its lifetime. Dating from the 1950s, the watch is in near-mint all-original condition - a collectors dream. The watch features a heavy [35mm] solid 18ct yellow gold screwback case [still with its original fine plastic film on the back], a mint hand-wound 17 jewel movement [Cal P454/5B] which has never been worked on, original movement cap, original signed crown, and a mint clean original, unrestored dial, with solid gold hour markers and hands. The watch comes complete with a non-Vacheron high grade Alligator strap and a 50s Vacheron 18ct gold buckle - a rare find. If you are looking for a financial investment then, kept in this condition, this is it.

Please note: I will only accept payment for this item by: bank transfer, personal cheque [UK], on collection in London or on delivery within the UK [subject to a deposit]. I will also consider hand delivery internationally, subject to flight paid and deposit.

A note about Vacheron Constantin. Vacheron made their first watch in 1755 and are history’s oldest watch makers in continuous production since. They began making watches almost 100 years earlier than Patek Philippe. Along with Patek they are acknowledged to be the world’s finest watchmaker.

My asking price is below value for a watch that will only rise further in value. Such is the high quality of the watch, I will include a six month written guarantee on the movement, which is long enough for you to assess it. I also include a professional insurance valuation, in excess of my asking price. Also, I offer a full refund if you are not entirely happy, as long as the watch is returned within seven days if UK customer, fourteen days if overseas, in the same condition. Please feel free to contact me to arrange to view the watch in central London.

The heavy solid 18ct yellow gold screwback three-piece case is in near-mint, clean, gleaming condition, with its original factory polish - in other words, it has never been polished. It is obviously very high quality, as you would expect from Vacheron and measures 35mm wide, excluding the original signed winding crown x 7.5mm deep x 41.5mm long, including the lugs. The case back screws closed perfectly and the edges of the case back are in excellent condition, showing that the case has rarely ever been opened and always very carefully. The inside back of the case still has its original washer in the rim. The case is correctly signed ‘Vacheron & Constantin', ‘Swiss’, the ‘344297’ case reference number, ‘4301’ and the appropriate hallmarks for Swiss solid 18ct gold. The case is also hallmarked on two of the lugs.

The stunning original, unrestored dial is in mint clean condition and features beautiful applied solid 18ct gold ‘dart’ hour markers and applied Vacheron Maltese cross emblem. It is signed 'Vacheron & Constantin’, ‘Geneve’ and ‘Swiss'. The original solid 18ct gold hands, including centre-seconds hand, are in mint, unbent condition and the original lens is perfectly clear.

The hand-wound Vacheron movement [Cal P454/5B] is in mint, crisp, gleaming condition, with all the screwheads in perfect condition. It is excellent quality, as you would expect, centre jewelled and features ‘fausses cotes’ decoration. It is brighter in reality than photographed and is signed ‘Vacheron & Constantin’, ‘Geneve’, ‘Swiss’, the ‘509957’ movement reference number, ‘Seventeen [17] jewels’, ‘Adjusted to temperatures’ and ‘P454/5B’. The movement is in simply excellent working order, winding and setting smoothly and keeping very good time. Covering the movement is the original metal movement cap, giving the movement it a double protection.

I have put this stunning watch on a new, hand-made high quality genuine Alligator strap, which suits it perfectly. Please note that the strap is less 'orange' in reality. However, we are happy to change the strap to any colour or type you like. Attached to the strap is a 50s Vacheron solid 18ct gold buckle - a rare find. The buckle is not signed Vacheron, which is correct as Vacheron did not sign their buckles in this era; they only began adding the Maltese cross emblem to their buckles in the 1960s. The buckle is signed 'AW' [the makers for Vacheron], 'Depose', 'Swiss' and is hallmarked. The watch comes in a new high-quality watch box, for safekeeping.

A simply superb watch from history's premier watchmaker; serious collection standard. Will provide an excellent financial investment as well as a possession to enjoy.