68,440 CHF
“World Time, Three Tone Dial” Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 416880, case No. 261463, Ref. 4414. Made in 1936. Very fine and extremely rare, early, slim, Art Deco, 18K yellow gold, keyless “World Time” dress watch, finished by Louis Cottier. Three-body, solid, “variée”, polished, with satiné back. Three-tone, matte, silvered, with black painted Roman quarter-hour numerals, outer minute track, outer revolving Arabic chapter ring for 24-hour indication, outermost world time chapter ring bearing the name of 31 global locations. Gold “Epee” hands. Cal. 17’’’ 15/12, heure universelle, rhodium plated, “fausses-côtes” decoration, 18 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued-steel flat balance spring, index regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 46 mm. Notes Vacheron Constantin made only a few very small series - of 6 to 7 pieces each - employing the World Time system. A similar watch was sold by Antiquorum , Geneva, “The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Constantin”, April 3, 2005, lot 200. The "World Time" system Was invented around 1935 by Louis Cottier (1894-1966), the famous independent watchmaker in Geneva. Considered by many to be the most practical and important inventions of modern horology, his "World Time" patents were used by Agassiz and other major manufacturers in the Swiss watch industry, including Patek Philippe, Rolex and Vacheron & Constantin.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2006-05-14
