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Lot 158
Vacheron Constantin. A very fine and rare 18K pink gold openface openface quarter repeating musical cylinder watch
SIGNED VACHERON & CONSTANTIN À GENÈVE, NO. 14674, MANUFACTURED IN 1820
Closed10 November 2014
Price Realised
CHF 25,000
More Information
Specialist note
According to the Archives of Vacheron Constantin, the present watch was manufactured in 1820.
It is an exceedingly rare example of one of Vacheron Constantin's musical watches to appear in public. It is furthermore preserved in very good overall condition for its age.
It was made in 1820, the year following the begin of the partnership between Jacques Barthélemy Vacheron, grandson of the firm's founder Marc Vacheron, and the wealthy grain merchant François Constant, thus creating Vacheron & Constantin.
François Constantin led a luxurious lifestyle and was a flamboyant character. He enjoyed travelling around the world representing Vacheron & Constantin. The company had constructed huge shipping cases with hidden compartments for the most expensive and luxurious products. Through his journeys, François opened a multitude of new markets for the company and its products, for instance in North America, where the company established an affiliate in 1864. François Constantin's personal motto became the company's motto as well: "Do better when possible, and it is always possible!".
It is an exceedingly rare example of one of Vacheron Constantin's musical watches to appear in public. It is furthermore preserved in very good overall condition for its age.
It was made in 1820, the year following the begin of the partnership between Jacques Barthélemy Vacheron, grandson of the firm's founder Marc Vacheron, and the wealthy grain merchant François Constant, thus creating Vacheron & Constantin.
François Constantin led a luxurious lifestyle and was a flamboyant character. He enjoyed travelling around the world representing Vacheron & Constantin. The company had constructed huge shipping cases with hidden compartments for the most expensive and luxurious products. Through his journeys, François opened a multitude of new markets for the company and its products, for instance in North America, where the company established an affiliate in 1864. François Constantin's personal motto became the company's motto as well: "Do better when possible, and it is always possible!".