lot 06

Vacheron Constantin

Overseas Chronograph

Estimate CHF 20 000 / CHF 30 000
Starting bid CHF 20 000

Hammer price CHF 36 000
Total bids 11
All prices do not include 24% Premium

Specification

CaseRose gold case 750/1000, rose gold caseback, screw down chronograph pushers and crown
StrapBrown alligator strap, folding clasp rose gold
DialAnthracite-coloured dial with applied lumed indices, 60 seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hour counter, big date at 12 o'clock and small seconds at 6 o'clock, signed: Vacheron Constantin Genève
MovementRhodium-plated automatic movement with column wheel chronograph and big date
Cal.1137
Ref.49150/00R-9338
Movement No.5170728
Case No.1214667
D=43 mm
Year2012

Condition report

Case:Good, slightly worn
Strap:Brown alligator strap
Bracelet:Good, slightly worn
Dial:Perfect, mint condition
Movement:Very good, all functions working properly
Amplitude (Dial on top/Lift angle 52):ca. 290 degrees
Accuracy (Dial on top):+ 5 s/day
Box:Yes
Papers:Yes

Details 

An elegant, attractive and rare rose gold complicated wristwatch of the famous Swiss watch brand Vacheron Constantin, founded in 1755. Estimated production period: 2004–2015. Case made of 18k rose gold, diameter 42mm, 12.45mm thick, dark-grey anthracite dial, screw-locked crown and chronograph pushpieces, solid gold caseback with embossed medallion with collection emblem, a sailing ship carved directly into the metal. Caliber 1137, self-winding with a gold rotor, power reserve up to 40 hours, entirely protected by a soft-iron antimagnetic screen. Functions – indication of time in hours and minutes, small seconds hand at 6 o’clock, chronograph with central seconds hand, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock, big date indicator at 12 o’clock. Dark-brown leather strap, Vacheron Constantin half Maltese cross-shaped 18k rose gold triple folding clasp. 

Lot essay 

The Overseas collection of luxury sport watches was introduced by Vacheron Constantin in 1996. In 1999, the brand introduced the first Overseas chronographs, produced under the reference 49140. These were automatic models, equipped with caliber 1137, which was a modified Frédéric Piguet 1185 column-wheel caliber with a rare and at the time increasingly popular additional complication of a two-digit large date display. In the 2000s, another trend of larger watches emerged, and so in 2004 a new updated Overseas generation appeared. The chronographs of the updated collection, produced under the new reference 49150, retained the same caliber 1137, but the case size was increased from 40mm to 42mm. Emphasizing the sporty nature of the Overseas collection, the brand made some technical innovations, in particular, installing anti-magnetic protection of the movement, which is very good for mechanical watches in a gold case. They also designed a new bracelet and offered models on a leather or rubber strap. The third upgrade of the collection took place in 2016, when the transition to the predominant use of in-house calibers was made. In particular, the new Overseas Chronograph Ref. 5500V is equipped with the in-house caliber 5200, which hasn’t a large date but a regular date indicator in a window in the position between 4 and 5 o’clock, typical for a sports watch. 

The Overseas is a superb luxury sports watch created by Vacheron Constantin as an alternative to similar watches from other prestigious brands. Vacheron Constantin goes up against them with a unique design of its own, with the collection’s signature features and a rare combination of automatic chronograph and big date that rival chronographs typically lack.

The Overseas Chronograph Ref. 49150 was offered mainly in stainless steel. A two-tone version in stainless steel and rose gold, and rose or white gold versions are rare. Chronographs made of rose gold can be found in four basic versions – with a white silver-plated or dark-grey anthracite dial, on a gold bracelet, or on a leather strap. At the end of 2015, this reference was discontinued. 

Reasons to bid 

The Overseas is a superb luxury sports watch created by Vacheron Constantin as an alternative to similar watches from other prestigious brands. Vacheron Constantin goes up against them with a unique design of its own, with the collection’s signature features and a rare combination of automatic chronograph and big date that rival chronographs typically lack. The present lot features a chic and rare precious-metal design version with a bold combination of rose gold, an anthracite grey dial and an upscale dark brown leather strap. Therefore, the Overseas Chronograph Ref. 49150/000R-9338 would appear to be a fine purchase for the collector who seeks a complicated mechanical watch of a branded sporty design from a world-famous traditional watch brand, one of the market leaders in haute horlogerie and complicated timepieces. The present watch features a Vacheron Constantin 18k rose gold half Maltese cross-shaped triple folding clasp that significantly increase the perceived value of the present watch and underscore its sporty chic character. Its self-winding caliber and 42mm case perfectly match modern tastes, making the present watch an almost perfect daily wearer. 

Its self-winding caliber and 42mm case perfectly match modern tastes, making the present watch an almost perfect daily wearer.