129,500 CHF
“One-Minute Tourbillon” Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 418296, model No. 92245, case No. 586069, adjusted by E. Olivier and Brahier. Made in 1934, cased in gold in 1991. Extremely rare and important, 18K gold, keyless pocket watch with one minute tourbillon regulator and Guillaume balance, specially adjusted for the 1934 Geneva Observatory Contest obtaining first prize, also submitted for the Geneva Observatory contests of 1947 and 1960. Three-body, "bassine", polished, with concealed hinge. Glazed gold-rimmed cuvette. White enamel with Arabic numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds. Blued steel "Breguet" hands. Notes The present watch was submitted to the Geneva Observatory in 1934 and won first prize. Again in 1947, it was one of a special group of watches, all with tourbillon regulators, and all adjusted under the direction of master adjuster E. Olivier and Brahier, for the 1946 and 1947 Geneva Timing Contest. The results surpassed all expectations: the first three places in 1947 were taken by Vacheron Constantin, and the alltime record was broken,with 883.8 points. In particular, the record that Patek Philippe had held for 13 years, since 1934, was broken. Out of the 30 first places, Vacheron Constantin took half the prizes. All the watches were identical - extremely high-grade tourbillon regulators, made entirely in the factory, superbly adjusted by Olivier or Brahier, aided by the skill acquired through years of experience. They were usually cased
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2006-10-15
