Important Watches Wristwatches, and C...

The Furama Hotel Hong Kong, Victoriana Room, Jun 05, 2000

LOT 249

Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, Mercator,No. 799131, case No. 684291, completed on May 29, 1998.Exceptionnally fine, self-winding, water-resistant down to 30 m., 42 hours power reserve, 18K yellow gold gentleman?s wristwatch with champlevé cloisonné enamel dial representing the astrological Chinese signs, with double sector graduated for12 hours and 60 minutes, with 18K gold Vacheron Constantin with leather strap and 18K yellow gold Vacheron Constantin buckle. Accompanied by certificate and bulletin du Bureau Officiel pour le contrôle des montres de Genève.

HKD 130,000 - 160,000

USD 16,000 - 20,000

Sold: HKD 184,000

C. inspired by the Géographique series launched at the end of the 1940?s, solid, polished, stepped bezel, overhanging fluted lugs, sapphire glass back. D. white enamelled dial plates with the 12 astrological Chinese signs, below, the two sectors graduated from1 to 12 for the hours and from 0 to 60 for the minutes with painted Arabic numerals and indexes. After each course, the hands, thanks to a special system, return to zero after, respectively, one half day and one hour. The gold ?Dauphine? geometrical hands, in shape of a marine compass, are placed on the 12 rather than at the center of the dial. M. 12 1/2???, cal. 1120, extra-flat (2,45 mm. thick), rhodium plated, ?fausses côtes? decoration, 36 jewels, lever escapement, annular glucidur balance ajusted for heat, cold isochronism and 5 positions, 19?800 vibrations per hour, hanging barrel, self-compensating flat balance-spring,21K gold rotor bearing the engraving 1594 - Gérard Mercator - 1994.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 33 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 1

As new
Movement: * 1
Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

This watch is part of a limited edition reproduced by Lucie and Jean Genbrugge, enamellers, of Broechem, Belgium.An attractive biography of the famous cartographer and humanist is provided in a leaflet with the watch.Vacheron Constantin has furthermore produced a modest number of strictly monitored Mercator watches fitted with a 22K yellow gold dial displaying the outlines, entirely chased by hand, then enamelled of the hemispheres of the 1587 map.The No. 1 of this series was sold by Antiquorum in the theme sale The Art of Vacheron Constantin in Geneva, 13 November 1994, lot 286.