The Chronomètre Royal was originally launched in 1907 as a family of high precision pocket watches and produced in wristwatch form beginning in 1953. The Chronomètre Royal reference 6694 was introduced in 1962, and housed Vacheron Constantin’s first automatic caliber with chronometer certification – the caliber 1072, featuring a chronometric balance and the rotor mounted on ruby ball bearings. Collectors often refer to reference 6694 as “the Batman” due to its wide and dramatic wing-shaped lugs that are instantly recognizable.
The present example is a very rare specimen preserved in impressive condition. Not only does it retain all its original textured finishes, it was even delivered with its original and lavish textured Vacheron Constantin Gay Frères white gold bracelet, which is particularly collectible today.
The finish throughout the bracelet and case is extremely fine and a testament to Vacheron’s commitment to craftsmanship and elegance. The brick-style bracelet is taut, showing this piece was hardly ever worn and was treated with the utmost care by previous owners. The finely cross-hatched pattern on the case and bracelet is a traditional Florentine technique, still used today in haute horlogerie and haute joaillerie. Typically, it is done by hand with a hard-tipped tool (today, a diamond-tipped hammer is used), repeatedly beaten into the metal to achieve the directional texture visible throughout. A series of parallel lines are engraved bidirectionally, giving the metal a matte, almost three-dimensional appearance. The dial possesses a softly radiating silver sunburst appearance, with the Maltese Cross inset with a diamond below the 12 o’clock hour marker.