Vacheron Constantin 'Cioccolatone' Dress Watch, 'Jumbo' Automatic

Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke

Vacheron Constantin can trace its roots back to 1755 and along with only a handful of other brands, is credited as one of the oldest manufacturers of mechanical clocks, pocket-watches, and of course, watches. In fact, Vacheron enjoys the prestige as the oldest continually operating manufacturer that still operates today. Vacheron is also a member of what has become known as The Holy Trinity , along with Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. All three of these manufactures have very different identities and focus areas within the industry, with VC generally regarded as the technical innovator. And despite a bevy of both technical and mechanical firsts, including the most complicated watch ever at the time of writing this, VC remains the lesser known name of the three in the broader watch community and certainly least understood. The piece that we have here dates to circa 1950s and is known to collectors as a 'Cioccolatone' for its unique shape, this 'stepped' case yellow gold dress watch comes in at approximately 35mm x 43mm — a simply massive size for the era! It's unique rounded-rectangular case retains defined bevels and correct finishing throughout and shows normal signs of wear for its age. The crown at the 3 o'clock position is partially recessed and matches the case nicely. Inside, it's Vacheron-ness continues, with an incredibly dynamic dial. Silver in color, it features a horizontally 'brushed' finishing with applied 'stud' and 'dart' indices and a matching 'pencil' handset. Furthermore, this eccentric piece is powered by Vacheron's very first automatic-winding movement: the Calibre 477/1 with a 'bumper' mechanism. This piece is quintessentially mid-century Vacheron: heavy on details and beautiful execution. The small details on the dial and intricacies of the case require a closer look to really be appreciated, and lets be honest, that is exactly what Swiss watchmaking is all about.