No Reserve
8062
Vacheron Constantin
Ref. 4348
A fine and lightweight aluminium keyless winding open-faced pocket watch and presentation box
- Estimate
- HK$10,000 - 20,000•€1,200 - 2,500$1,300 - 2,600
HK$30,240
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Vacheron Constantin
- Year
- Circa 1956
- Reference No
- 4348
- Movement No
- 513’745
- Case No
- 345’542
- Material
- Aluminium
- Calibre
- Manual, cal. 439/7, 17 jewels
- Dimensions
- 44mm diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial and movement signed
- Accessories
- Accompanied by Vacheron Constantin fitted presentation box. Further delivered with Vacheron Constantin Extract from the Archives confirming its date of manufacture in 1955.
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
To the new owners of the watches in the sale: The Armoury will custom-make the winner one of The Armoury’s signature garments as a gift. For further details please visit the link below.
More Details: https://www.thearmoury.com/the-beauty-in-everything-gifts
I have to thank Christian Selmoni for bringing this piece to my attention. It is an almost completely aluminium pocket watch with not only the case, dial and hands but also most parts of the movements being made in this lightweight metal. In the hand, it is almost ethereal and you can't help but smile when you handle it. These pocket watches were made by Vacheron for the Northern Aluminium Company as gifts for their most important employees and customers. - Mark Cho
- In 1937, Vacheron Constantin was commissioned with the challenging task of making a series of pocket watches fashioned from aluminium. Despite being infamously malleable and lightweight, the firm embarked on a mission to manufacture cases and plates tailored to their patron’s taste, which was the Northern Aluminium Company, one of the world’s largest Canadian aluminium producers better known as Alcan today. After a year of trial and error, the first batch was delivered in 1938 and the result was a sturdy yet feather-light pocket watch, tastefully executed like the present example.
- Each piece was given as a token of gratitude for employees who had dedicated 25 years of service to the Northern Aluminium Company and were embellished with a presentation inscription on the caseback. Unusual and rare, these watches reflect the brazen era that encourages creativity with new materials and style explorations in haute horology.
- The present example is a well-preserved ref. 4348 in full-anticorodal-aluminium livery, sporting a lacquered aluminium dial with applied Arabic numerals and hands, both in the Breguet style. Due to the normal process of ageing, the dial features an interesting compilation of oxidation in the form of coiled lines that adds character and uniqueness to the current timepiece. Presented to a loyal employee of the Northern Aluminium Company Ltd in 1956, this timepiece is offered with its fitted presentation box and is interesting find that will excite connoisseurs of unusual vintage pocket watches.
More Details: https://www.thearmoury.com/the-beauty-in-everything-gifts
I have to thank Christian Selmoni for bringing this piece to my attention. It is an almost completely aluminium pocket watch with not only the case, dial and hands but also most parts of the movements being made in this lightweight metal. In the hand, it is almost ethereal and you can't help but smile when you handle it. These pocket watches were made by Vacheron for the Northern Aluminium Company as gifts for their most important employees and customers. - Mark Cho
- In 1937, Vacheron Constantin was commissioned with the challenging task of making a series of pocket watches fashioned from aluminium. Despite being infamously malleable and lightweight, the firm embarked on a mission to manufacture cases and plates tailored to their patron’s taste, which was the Northern Aluminium Company, one of the world’s largest Canadian aluminium producers better known as Alcan today. After a year of trial and error, the first batch was delivered in 1938 and the result was a sturdy yet feather-light pocket watch, tastefully executed like the present example.
- Each piece was given as a token of gratitude for employees who had dedicated 25 years of service to the Northern Aluminium Company and were embellished with a presentation inscription on the caseback. Unusual and rare, these watches reflect the brazen era that encourages creativity with new materials and style explorations in haute horology.
- The present example is a well-preserved ref. 4348 in full-anticorodal-aluminium livery, sporting a lacquered aluminium dial with applied Arabic numerals and hands, both in the Breguet style. Due to the normal process of ageing, the dial features an interesting compilation of oxidation in the form of coiled lines that adds character and uniqueness to the current timepiece. Presented to a loyal employee of the Northern Aluminium Company Ltd in 1956, this timepiece is offered with its fitted presentation box and is interesting find that will excite connoisseurs of unusual vintage pocket watches.
Vacheron Constantin
Swiss | 1755The world's oldest watch brand in continuous operation since its founding in 1755, Vacheron Constantin was the first watch company to manufacture movements with interchangeable parts beginning in 1839. Vacheron's watches are admired for their Latin-influenced case designs, well-balanced proportions and exquisitely finished movements of the highest quality. The Geneva-based manufacturer is known for their highly complicated masterpieces, including the King Farouk Grand Complication made in 1935, the Tour de l'Ile that was the most complicated serially produced wristwatch when introduced in 2005 and the 57260 — the world’s most complicated watch — made in 2015.
Key vintage models include minute repeating wristwatches such as the references 4261, chronographs such as the references 4178 and 6087 and the oversized Cioccolotone models such as ref. 4737. Collectors also appreciate Vacheron's Chronometer Royal pocket and wristwatches, as well as the '222,' the brand's first luxury sports watch produced from 1977 through 1984.
Browse MakerKey vintage models include minute repeating wristwatches such as the references 4261, chronographs such as the references 4178 and 6087 and the oversized Cioccolotone models such as ref. 4737. Collectors also appreciate Vacheron's Chronometer Royal pocket and wristwatches, as well as the '222,' the brand's first luxury sports watch produced from 1977 through 1984.