
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Vacheron Constantin Pink Gold Teardrop Lugs, 1940s
- Maker / attribution
- Vacheron Constantin (maker)
- Date
- 1940s
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- gold
- Dimensions
- Case 64 mm
- Stock no.
- Product 8557920354487
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Huntington Company (product 8557920354487)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1940s Vacheron Constantin Pink Gold Teardrop Lugs (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Huntington Company (dealer) (stock number Product 8557920354487), this is a wristwatch by Vacheron Constantin, made in Switzerland, dated 1940s. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: gold. Recorded dimensions: Case 64 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Huntington Company
History & Significance Founded in 1755, Vacheron Constantin is the oldest continuously operating Swiss watch manufacturer, a name synonymous with precision, artistry, and timeless craftsmanship. For centuries, Vacheron has produced watches worn by royalty, artists, and leaders, all drawn to the brand’s unique blend of technical mastery and aesthetic purity. During the mid-20th century, Vacheron Constantin became especially celebrated for its slim, elegant dress watches. These pieces often featured ultra-thin manual movements like the legendary Caliber 1003 (just 1.64mm thick), clean dials, and beautifully finished cases in 18k gold or platinum. This particular example perfectly embodies that era. The warm rose gold case and matching gold-tone dial evoke quiet luxury, while the sculpted tear-drop lugs demonstrate Vacheron’s meticulous approach to design and proportion. Collectors value watches like this for their sophistication and rarity, the kind of detail-driven craftsmanship that defines Vacheron’s preeminent legacy. Writer’s Thoughts This is one of those watches that speaks softly but leaves a lasting impression. The combination of rose gold and yellow gold tones creates an understated depth, and the teardrop lugs give the case an amazing presence on the wrist. It’s classic mid-century Vacheron, thin, refined, and made with an artistry that feels almost lost in modern watchmaking. Our Promise Every watch is thoroughly vetted, carefully described with complete transparency, and guaranteed authentic. Each piece is offered in honest condition, ensuring collectors receive a timepiece that reflects both originality and integrity. Specifications Brand: Vacheron Constantin Year: 1940s Case Material: 18k Rose Gold Case Size: 31mm, 17mm lug width Bezel: This case design does not feature a bezel Dial: Warm gold dial with rose gold markers and black raised enamel Crystal: Acrylic crystal Movement: Manual winding Strap: New leather strap Buckle: Generic gold-tone buckle Contents: Watch only Condition Case: Very clean; hallmark visible on the lug; retains strong definition with minimal surface wear. Crystal: Acrylic crystal free of chips or cracks. Dial: Original brushed champagne dial with minimal signs of age; excellent overall preservation. Hands: Original yellow gold hands in near-perfect condition; sub-register hands retain most original gold paint with light, typical loss. Strap: New leather strap in unworn condition. Buckle: Generic gold-tone buckle in new condition.
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The wristwatch overtook the pocket watch. Military use in the First World War, aviation, water-resistant cases (1926), automatic winding (1923–31), rectangular Art Deco designs and early chronographs and calendars defined the period.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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