Pocket Watches · Pocket watch
Vacheron & Constantin Yellow Gold Pocket Watch, 1920s
- Maker / attribution
- Unrecorded in source
- Date
- 1920s
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- Unrecorded in source
- Object type
- Pocket watch
- Materials / technique
- gold
- Dealer
- WatchMuseum.org shop
- Stock no.
- Product 3603
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 3603)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Vacheron & Constantin Yellow Gold Pocket Watch (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by WatchMuseum.org shop (stock number Product 3603), this is a pocket watch, dated 1920s. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Pocket Watches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: gold. 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 — WatchMuseum.org shop
Step back in time with the exquisite Vacheron & Constantin Yellow Gold Pocket Watch from the 1920s, a true testament to the craftsmanship and elegance of a bygone era. This remarkable timepiece boasts a 44 mm, 14k yellow gold three-piece case, complete with an inside dust cover that not only protects the intricate mechanics but also features an engraved presentation dated 1920, adding a layer of historical and sentimental value. The heart of this watch is its 17 Jewel Gilt lever movement, renowned for its reliability and precision, ensuring that this pocket watch is as functional as it is beautiful. The porcelain dial, adorned with a sunk seconds chapter, enhances the aesthetic allure, making it a visually captivating piece. Created by the esteemed Vacheron & Constantin, this pocket watch exemplifies the exceptional quality and attention to detail that the Swiss watchmaker is celebrated for. In mint condition, this vintage treasure is not just a timekeeping device but a piece of art that will undoubtedly enrich any collection. This Circa 1920s Vacheron & Constantin Pocket watch is a stunning piece with a 44 M.M. 14k Yellow Gold 3 Piece case featuring an inside Dust cover. The cover has an engraved presentation dated 1920, adding to the watch’s sentimental value. The 17 Jewel Gilt lever movement is reliable and precise, while the Porcelain Dial with sunk seconds chapter adds to the watch’s aesthetic appeal. This timepiece is a true example of the exceptional quality offered by Vacheron & Constantin during this period. Overall, this watch is in mint condition and will make a beautiful addition to any collection. Creator: Vacheron Constantin Case Material: Yellow Gold Case Dimensions: Diameter: 44 mm (1.74 in) Place of Origin: Switzerland Period: 1920-1929 Date of Manufacture: 1920s Condition: Excellent
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The pocket watch reached technical maturity and then began to give way to the wristwatch after the First World War. Complicated watches for collectors such as Henry Graves Jr. and James Ward Packard, railroad watches, and slim Art Deco dress watches are characteristic.
Read the period in the timelineMore pocket watches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
Atlas type guide
Pocket watches
The pocket watch was the dominant personal timekeeper from the late seventeenth century until the First World War. Its development tracks the history of the escapement: verge watches with fusees until the late eighteenth century; Thomas Mudge's lever escapement (c. 1755) and the cylinder escapement popularised by George Graham and later by Swiss makers; and the Swiss and English lever watches of the nineteenth century. Lépine's bar-bridge calibre and keyless winding made watches thinner and easier to use.
Industrialisation transformed the trade: American factories such as Waltham (from 1850) and Elgin produced interchangeable parts by machine, and Swiss makers responded with their own mechanisation after the 1876 Philadelphia Exhibition. By 1900 a reliable watch was affordable to millions; the finest makers continued to produce complications and precision watches.
What to look for
- The escapement: verge (crown wheel), cylinder, duplex, English or Swiss lever.
- Key winding (a square arbor in dial or back) or keyless crown winding.
- Signatures and serial numbers on the movement, dial and inside case back.
- Hallmarks, case maker's marks and gold or silver standards stamped in the case.
- Dial material: enamel, silver, gold, later printed metal.
Dating clues
- Verge watches dominate before c. 1800; cylinder watches c. 1770–1900; lever watches after c. 1820.
- Keyless winding: increasingly common after c. 1860.
- Manufacturer serial number lists exist for Waltham, Elgin, Longines, Omega, Patek Philippe and others.
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.
Read next:Verge escapementDetached lever escapementFuseeIdentification Centre
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