Vacheron Constantin - Vacheron Constantin's Trademark Maltese Cross

Vacheron Constantin's Trademark Maltese Cross

Oct 08, 2011,16:33 PM

Hello All,

I have encountered a question frequently about the Maltese Cross that represents Vacheron Conatantin. The answer to this powerful Trademark was born out of innovation. Manually winding pocket and wristwatches had one major downfall, the user could overwind the mainspring of a watch, therefore breaking the mainspring or other components of the movement. Vacheron came up with an ingenius invention, a clutch gear in the shape of a Maltese Cross in order to prevent overwinding. To this day I still have customers that have trepeditions about over winding the watch and therefore not useing the mainsprings true potental, lowering the power reserve of the timepiece. A good rule of thumb when winding you VC American 1921, 1955, or Patrimony is to wind the watch untill the crown will not wind any furthur.

This is just another helpful hint from BTWatchguy.

BTWatchguy

Royal Jewelers, Andover, Ma

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Very useful information

By: respo : October 9th, 2011-06:27

I did not realize (or I forgot) that VC came up with the mechanism to prevent overwinding the watch. That is very interesting to know. Also, a good reminder on how we may wind our timepieces. Thank you. Now, for me the maltese cross symbol is the most com...

Geneva Stopworks

By: Tick Talk : October 9th, 2011-08:31

What you are referring to is the Geneva Stopworks mechanism, which isn't uniquely V&C but is said to originate with the watchmakers in the Canton of Geneva, although it also appeared in movements of French manufacture. Attached to the barrel, it does inde...

Thanks for the additional history [nt]

By: respo : October 9th, 2011-15:39

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How does a free-sprung balance prevent overwinding?

By: mkvc : October 9th, 2011-21:34

Are you referring perhaps to the sliding mainspring barrel used in automatic watches? Just curious.

Brain fart

By: Tick Talk : October 10th, 2011-08:17

Excuse my brain fart...that is what my kids would call any act of temporary insanity ;-) In addition to his invention of the winding crown, Adrien Philippe (of Patek, Philippe fame) patented in 1863 a so-called "free spring" or slipping mainspring feature...

In a quandary..

By: frankfye789 : October 28th, 2011-04:36

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas has long been one of my favourite watches, and I have finally decided to go ahead and start saving for one. Taking a quick look at what is avaliable on Chrono24, I found that I preferred the uncluttered dials of the cheape...

Ladies models only

By: Tick Talk : October 28th, 2011-11:00

AFAIK the current VC collection only offers quartz movements in ladies models. When the technology was new, the Swiss watch industry placed a high premium on quartz, often priced above their mechanical counterparts. The Japanese soon brought prices down t...

VC quartz

By: BTWatchguy : November 1st, 2011-18:09

Hey Frankfye789, I have run into VC quartz pieces. I find they tend to be of the same quality level of Patek or Piaget quartz pieces. The best advice I have for you is to change the battery on a regular basis in order to ward off corrotion and enjoy the w...