DESCRIPTION:
EPW - Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, enormous deck watch with very rare helical hairspring, 82mm, massive coin silver OF original case with signed cuvette bearing attributes engraved as "Chronomètre Balancier Integral Spiral cylindrique," white enamel SS dial, SW-pin-set, lever escapement with capped escape wheel, 17J, Guillaume balance with helical hairspring, gilt mvt signed "55 Heures" (French for "55 Hours"), s#361068. Gross weight of assembled watch 243.4 dwt (378.6 g). One of the most unusual Vacheron & Constantin pieces we have had the pleasure of handling, this watch is notable for both its strikingly massive size which is significantly larger than typical deck watches and for its use of a helical hairspring which is quite rare among Vacheron & Constantin production.
CONDITION:
Mvt: Running with small error in the round of its balance motion, excellent cosmetic mvt condition overall, regulator spring is a replacement, three small fine scratches above "55 Heures" marking, some additional mild fine and micro-fine scratches elsewhere, fine scratch striations to steel disk surrounding balance jewel and to steel piece securing hairspring stud, micro-fine scratch striations to escape wheel jewel setting, few small specks of oxide to winding wheels; excellent dial with very faint hl within seconds-register, body of dial with few mild micro-fine scratches and minuscule surface nicks; fair hands, hour and minute are re-colored, seconds-hand missing its tail; case with soldered repair to rear planchet which is readily apparent to internal surface of lid but is more well executed externally with some color difference at areas of repair, case shows little wear, cuvette with some fine scratches, mild dent to upper-right perimeter of rear, mild ding to lower-left shoulder of rear, few small nicks, case front and rear opening short of 90 degrees (to approximately 85 degrees and 70 degrees, respectively); bow pivots semi-freely though its central range of motion, crown shows little wear; glass crystal with internal edge flake at 9.
ESTIMATE:
$3000
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$4000
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