Vacheron Constantin 'Don Pancho' Ref. 3620

anon438 · 2019-03-27T14:30:37Z

Explore the Vacheron Constantin 'Don Pancho' Ref. 3620, a rare 1936 minute repeater. Discover its unique history, grand complications, and collector insights.

Key Points from the Discussion

The 'Don Pancho' was purpose-built for an individual in the mining business, highlighting its innovative design for a super-rich client from the 'New World' before the formal establishment of Haute Horlogerie Maisons.
The original dial, despite showing signs of use and potential mishandling, is considered authentic and bears the true story of the watch's life, making its imperfections part of its historical evidence.
The author expresses disappointment that many initial comments merely copied auction house descriptions, urging fellow experts to provide original opinions and compare the 'Don Pancho' to other significant minute repeaters beyond Phillips' suggestions.
The case design is often associated with references 4240 or 4241, but the 'Don Pancho' is a non-standard variant, and authentication requires internal inspection of the movement and case, as external features like the dial and crown may be refinished or later replacements.
Vacheron Constantin rarely published precise production numbers for specific movements or references, making it challenging to estimate the total output of models like the Ref. 4240 triple calendar during the WWII era, though it was likely scarce.
The 'Don Pancho' is a Grand Complication wristwatch, a combination of multiple complex functions, which places it in a distinct category of horological achievement.

The Discussion

anon438

Mar 27, 2019

From 'Voice of the Angel: History of Vacheron Constantin Minute Repeaters 1' www.thehourlounge.com by Alex Ghotbi with support from Vacheron Constantin 31st of October 2013 " ...According to my good friend George the minute repeater is a very useful….travel watch ! Before my wide eyes and gaping mouth as how could someone so knowledgeable have such little clue “hear me out” insisted George, “it is a watch for the intensive traveler” he continued. “When you wake up in the middle of the ni

anon438

Mar 31, 2019

How to valuate and appreciate such a find? First of all, it was a great effort for Vacheron specialist team to bring this treasure back to grandeur.

tactictac

Mar 31, 2019

I would have kept one of the previous dials; the one in 2019 is for me too new and swears with a watch of this age...

anon438

Apr 1, 2019

I've seen several questions about the dial, and it's a quite good question, what would be an appropriate thought. But I will come back later on this topic again. First of all I would think this question arises from a very first impression. My first impression was, those watch was used. Not just little used and of course not only seven years as suggested. If you look at that dial I would suggest, it was handled by unqualified hands and it's quite a luck that there wouldn't be a bigger damage. But

alex

Apr 2, 2019

the original dial comes with the watch

anon438

Apr 13, 2019

Coming back to the dial, the original dial is off course the real stuff, it bears the evidence about the original story of this watch, the signs only a real life could draw. As the story tells us, this watch was built for an individual called 'Don Pancho' who was in the mining business, in need to see and hear his watch when strolling around his latest acquisitions. At that time in the European sense a probably super-rich from the 'New World', since everything outside Europe was the 'New World'.

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