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WatchProSite|Market|Digest

Vacheron Constantin

Fell in Love with VC, looking for info to help with purchase

 

Hello everybody. 

I'm new to this forum and have been spending many hours pouring over past postings.

I recently fell in love with a gorgeous VC 1132.2 that I saw was already sold on ebay.  Initially, its thin case (and my research here) made me think that it was a 1003 caliber, but on closer examination of the auction I saw that it was a 1132.2.

Is there a good place to learn about the differences between these different calibers before I make my first purchase?  I love the look of the many 1003 photos that I've seen posted here, as well as the current extra-plates (with exhibition back!!) and contemporaine.

As an aside, I was chatting with a vintage watch dealer awhile ago, and he mentioned that some of the ultra-thin watches had reliability issues.  Are the thin VC models considered to be less reliable?

Aaron

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From the Digest
8 Comments view entire thread 

Welcome to the forum, Aaron...

 
By: WHL : January 10th, 2009-18:26
There is certainly a lot to love with Vacheron Constantin. Have you seen this post by TM in the VC Gallery: vacheronref.watchprosite.com It gives the details on the Piguet 8.10 movement that VC renames 1132. VC used that caliber in a number of its watches... 

1132 Picture

 
By: aaron_c : January 11th, 2009-12:37
Bill - Thanks for your response and for the excellent link. Yes, I had found that link earlier and the photos in it are excellent. I'm attaching a photo of the 1132 movement from the ebay listing that's higher quality than the one in the VC group link. Fe... 

1132 Picture (photo attached this time!)

 
By: aaron_c : January 11th, 2009-12:43
Sorry, I'm new to this. Please forgive the double posting. Here's the movement I meant to include in my previous posting....  

1003 expensive to produce

 
By: Tick Talk : January 11th, 2009-16:08
Over the years VC has tried to substitue other movements for the venerable 1003 but a combination of history and technology has defeated the transition, and thank god for that! The 1003 still remains the flattest manual movement and is finished to highest... 

I recall reading....

 
By: WHL : January 11th, 2009-17:45
that the production of the caliber 1120 will also be brought in-house. I doubt whether VC's current in-house automatic is suitable for skeletonizing. Bill

Historic VC Trait

 
By: Tick Talk : January 13th, 2009-07:32
Flatness of movement and case design were historic traits of V&C. I feel they were pulled away from that design ethic by the trend for needlessly large wrist watches (note the size of some movement spacers!!). However, the declaration by Torres to ensure ... 

large watch sizing

 
By: aaron_c : January 13th, 2009-09:01
When I was visiting Westtime in L.A. recently the salesman there showed me the watch he was wearing which was as wide as his wrist. He said that once you use a large watch you'll never want to go back to the older generation of small watches, so he doesn'...