A collectors dream – this automatic 1974 Vacheron & Constantin has a onyx stone dial, the correct crown, 18k white gold buckle, signed strap, extract from the archives and the branded leather wallet. Reference 2045 P
HOW DO WE DATE THIS WATCH?
From the Vacheron & Constantin supplied Extract from the Archives, which matches all serial numbers on this watch, we know the watch was made in 1974.
CONDITION
This design is obviously made to compete with the Patek Philippe Ellipse. We have had a comparable watch from 1974, but the Patek is a smaller case and manual wind. The Vacheron & Constantin here would more be comparable to the Ellipse Jumbo size wise, but you are going to need double the budget minimum for the Ellipse Jumbo. Despite being a bigger case, and automatic, the Vacheron also is (just) thinner than the Patek.
The movement used is the Calibre 1120, and while this is just a two handed watch the movement has 36 jewels! Finished with Côtes de Genève stripes and with the Geneva Seal of quality stamped on it, it is undoubted quality. At just under 2.5mm thick it is remarkably thin, and to help with auto winding the rotor is tipped with 21k yellow gold (more dense than steel so helps the rotor spin). The dial is Onyx, confirmed by the extract, so will never fade from the blackest natural black. It has no cracks or marks. The case has possibly had a light polish in the past and the tips of the lugs has lost some of the rhodium plating, as has the buckle. The later Vacheron Constantin leather strap is used, and the strap has been sized down from a larger lug size to fit. This watch has the correct buckle signed and stamped 0.750 on the inside on the buckle only. These are often lost, and are valuable in their own right (no, we will not sell it separately!)
This watch will be supplied with the original presentation leather wallet, the original Extract from the Archives and our Certificate of Authenticity.
This watch has been checked against the Watch Register and has not been reported as lost, stolen or implicated in fraud, and a copy of that certificate will also be included.
Please see the HD video for more detail. All photos and videos are part of the description and are of the actual watch unless mentioned. We do not photoshop any pictures, and the images are copyright of birthyearwatches.com and should not be used without permission.
SIZE
Width with crown 34.2 mm
Width without crown 32.4 mm
Between lugs 20 mm
Lug to lug length 37.0 mm
Case Thickness 6.0 mm
All sizes are approximate. The watch is photographed on a wrist of 190mm/7.5 inches.
Included with this watch is a 3 month guarantee and free delivery to UK addresses. If you live outside the UK we can still deliver to most countries. Please see our Worldwide Shipping information, or Contact Us. Payment can be made by most credit or debit cards, bank transfer or PayPal.
From 1st September 2021 we will be planting a tree for every watch we sell, working with the International Tree Foundation (Est 1922) to make this business positive on carbon. By buying anything pre owned you are effectively reusing what already exists, but this takes it further and makes us feel good.
