Tick Talk
[Vacheron Moderator]
2195
A Vintage Moment
While we wait to see what new treasures are acquired during this month's auction festival, I'm pleased to share a Ref. 4166 men's dress watch from 1945. It ticked many items on my wish list, including; pink gold case to match up with a PG bracelet I had laying around, a tonneau movement, and an original two-tone salmon-colored dial.
For me, original finish is sooo important and I was thrilled to find the texture and brushing as new, with acceptable signs of careful wear. For this vintage, the length of 35mm is very reasonable, while a width of 22mm definately qualifies as "slim". It was also important that it was a Swiss-made 18k case rather than the more numerous American-made 14k cases.
Perhaps its unreasonable to reject any form of redial, but one cannot analyse vintage workmanship unless you actually see it. The two-tone galvanized finish was a point of pride for V&C; popular in both pocket and wrist watches of the 30s and 40s. The process is well-described in the Electroplating section of the Dial Maker chapter in The Secrets of Vacheron Constantin.
And surely the shaped 11-ligne Caliber 435 sets the precedent for a modern equivalent to be used with the newer tonneau-shaped cases!
I was a bit nervous about my period bracelet until it was attached. Formulas for pink gold changed between makers and over time, but thankfully it was a perfect match and a great fit on my wrist. Enough chat, hope you enjoy the pictures Berny 
A Vintage Moment
While we wait to see what new treasures are acquired during this month's auction festival, I'm pleased to share a Ref. 4166 men's dress watch from 1945. It ticked many items on my wish list, including; pink gold case to match up with a PG bracelet I had l...
Congrats, Dean
This is such a nice watch. Now all you need to know is the history of the watch... Wear it in good health ! Berny
Very nice addition to your collection...
It's great that you finally have a watch for the bracelet. Dean, they do make a tonneau movement for a tonneau watch. There is only the matter of the $178K it takes to get it. :-) Bill
Yes, there is THAT one
So if they have a shaped blank, could it not be adapted for use with a "normal" escapement? Oh I know, the cost blah blah...at least we have vintage ;-)
I love it, Dean!
I really enjoy getting some insight into your thought process for selecting vintage pieces like this one -- I learn a lot about the things to look for and the decisions that have to be made. Usually we struggle to find the right strap for a watch. In this...
Have you heard
of people who buy a pocket watch to fit an empty box they have? I'd be tempted ;-)
It's a beauty
I can imagine the Swiss 18K case was important in giving it the best possible chance of matching the color of the pink gold formulation with that marvelous bracelet. Great match up, and now you have more options when you don't want to carry a watch, ;-) B...
Ask for a detail
The font of signature made of enamel or black print ? If the font made of enamel process, likely to be made by Stern Freres. I'm not sure if any other factories offered similar dials.
can you explain
what you mean by "enamel process"? Are you referring to vitreous enamel fired onto a metal base, or so-called enamel paint applied with a pad like ink?
Apologies if it seemed like a trick question
The markings on the wrist watches you've posted below, that aren't applied gold, are either hard enamel or engraved en réserve and filled with a black charcoal-based wax. Sometimes you can tell which from a photo, sometimes you can't. If enamel, they are ...
Your articles and collections are standards that will help more people avoid detours.
Because I haven't seen the actual object, my question is just question may seem tricky, but after careful consideration. The discussion on fonts was inspired by my friends who manage porcelain. Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, who reigned for 60 years...
I would like to explore Vitrous Enamel Fired font about "Vacheron&Constantin"
After 1938 (when V&C collaborated with JLC), V&C still used stock tonneau shape caliber until early 1940s.After that time, beginning caliber 435 based on ebauche from JLC. Many models which used caliber435 in 1940s-1950s ,used vitrous enamel fired font di...
