Vacheron Constantin

And here are some of the details..

How long did it take? I took the watch in mid-September and I had an estimate from Geneva, communicated via the local boutique, a few weeks later.  I authorized to proceed with service in the middle of October and received an email that the watch was ready for pick up last week in the middle of March.  So, this particular restoration took about 5 months from authorization, and a total of 6-months from when I dropped the piece of until I picked up.  But, I imagine that for any particular piece, the completion time could be longer and would be dependent on whether new parts need to be fabricated, complexity, whether dial work needs to be done, etc.  

How did it arrive? The whole watch with attached strap and buckle arrived sealed by Geneva in a plastic package.  Darren, who was helping me on Saturday, brought it out and unsealed it in front of me.  Darren handled the watch with great care.

What did they do as part of the restoration?  For this piece, a vintage movement restoration which also in addition required a new balance spring, barrel bridge, and crown replacement.  The bulk of the service cost was in the restoration and these replacement parts — It’s what’s on the inside that counts!  The crystal was replaced. I also purchased a replacement strap and buckle since the originals were long gone. 

What was not done?  The case was left unpolished and the dial was left in original condition.  Although I believe both received a good cleaning since the soil between the lugs on the case was removed and the indices, which previously had some darker toning, are brighter.  The hands were possibly also replaced, since under loupe some of the scratches and dings on the hands seem to be gone — the hands now look flawless.  Replacement hands on a vintage watch are tricky.  New hands can completely change the character of the watch, but hands can only be removed/replaced so many times before they fail to hold and risk falling off.  Assuming they are replacements, I think Vacheron made the right call because the hands look fantastic and I believe they not just a reasonable substitute, but are virtually identical to the original ones.

Why did I do this?  As soon as I received the watch from the seller, it seemed as though it had been dropped at some point, since the crystal on the crown side had a gouge and the rim of the crown was dented and the stem was slightly “off”.  I could take it to a local watchmaker and have a service done.  But a local watchmaker would likely not have access to any replacement parts that were needed.  And, what was eating away at the decision to go local was that if the stem was dislocated and was not properly fixed, it could seriously damage the case.  And failure to replace other worn or damaged parts would likely also cause additional damage to the internal components of the movement. I just didn’t feel comfortable using it without having it serviced and restored properly.  About cost, although the cost was significant, I chose not compare the costs to the purchase price of an un-restored and/or questionably serviced vintage watch.  Instead, I compared it to what I would receive upon completion of the restoration of my watch — a freshly restored vintage piece from Vacheron’s restoration department in Geneva.  At this point in my life buying a brand-new Vacheron would be a stretch for even their most economical pieces, and many of the pieces I would most prefer are out of reach.  Overall, taking into account purchase of the piece and restoration, I was able to obtain a vintage fully and properly restored Vacheron with the 1003 movement for significantly less than a brand-new Patrimony goes for, and a fraction of what the modern equivalent with a 1003 movement in the Historiques collection goes for.  And as opposed to a very fine modern tribute, this is a real vintage watch.  I estimate it was manufactured in the late 60’s based on the movement No. and therefore is probably  50+ years old.  When viewed in that light I think it really makes sense to choose wisely on the vintage market and request restoration service from Vacheron.  

As an aside, I think that Vacheron is the true pinnacle of haute horlogerie.  When I think about it, this company started making watches when George Washington was still young.   Patrons include Napoleon, Truman, Eisenhower, various individuals of royal lineage, and lets not forget that a Vacheron & Constantin watch was included in the Third Imperial Egg.  They claim the most complicated watch in the world — the 57260.  Their is an unbroken tradition stretching back hundreds of years of staying true to craft and utterly uncompromising on quality, which I believe no other presently operating company can lay claim to.  In my opinion that Vacheron and Constantin have made nothing but the finest quality time pieces in limited numbers for those who appreciate the pieces themselves and who have no need to impress others with their possessions.  And, to think that I now own a fully restored vintage ultra-thin piece from the finest watch brand in the world, which I can discretely slide up my sleeve whenever I don’t want attention, seems to good to be true, but it is.  

Would I do it again or recommend it to someone else?  That all depends.  In this case, I was specifically searching for the 1003 movement since reading some Hodinkee articles about ultra-thin movements.  And I loved the shape and simplicity of the 6115 case.  It embodies the notion that the ultimate in sophistication is simplicity.  As for other watches though, it would really have to depend on the condition of the piece and how much work likely needs to be done.  At a certain point restoration would become uneconomical even by the standards of the world of luxury watches. But for anyone who does choose to engage the service the results are stunning, and one can feel confident that everything was done right.

What could Vacheron do to improve this service?  Overall I have to say I am very satisfied with the watch.  That being said I can think of two things that would improve the restoration experience.  (1) With vintage watches cases are almost always gone.  I was offered a faux-suede travel pouch for the watch by the boutique when I picked it up which I accepted.  But, it would have been appreciated if Vacheron could offer a nicer presentation box for watches which undergo their vintage restoration service.  It wouldn’t have to be anything grandiose; just something like an old style lined flat wooden clamshell box, perhaps.  It would help signify, in a sense, that the restored watch is being sort-of “reissued” by Vacheron.  (2) It would have been nice to receive just a little bit more information about the watch included as part of the restoration service.  I know that VC issues certificates of authenticity, which I understand is an expensive additional service.  I did not expect a certificate of authenticity. However, I think it would have been nice to have an extract of the archives issued as part of the restoration.  And, I think it would be good to include a field on the extract noting that the watch movement had been restored and the date of restoration service.  I view the restoration service as value-added over vintage watches which have not undergone restoration.  Perhaps at some point I will order an extract.  But there is no pressing need since I don’t plan to sell any time soon.  With proper care, I should be able to hang onto this one for the next 50 years!