| The
most complicated watch ever made by Vacheron & Constantin,
Geneve, No. 415810, case No. 258597, manufactured between
1920 and 1935, purchased by His Excellency Boulent Raoul
and presented to his Majesty King
Farouk of Egypt.
Unique
extra large, 18ct. gold, keyless minute repeating "Grand
and Petite sonnrie" moon phase astronomical clock watch
with perpetual calendar, split seconds chronograph with
30 minute instantaneous recorder and alarm, with power
reserve indicators for both the going and the striking
trains.
CASE:
Four body massive, "pomme et grande gouge", polished.
Gold cuvette.
DIAL:
Gold frosted and gilt with Breguet numerals, outer chronograph
ring, subsidiary dials for days of the week with inner
30 hour striking train up and down scale, minute register
with sunk inner leap year cycle , the month with
inner 30 hour going train up-and -down scale, the dates
with inner moon phase aperture and running seconds.
Blued steel "spade" hands.
MOVEMENT:
23''', rhodium plated "fausses cotes" decoration, three
trains with differential winding, the alarm train wound
by means of a slide in the band, 55 jewels, straight
line lever escapement, brass invar Guillaume balance,
Breguet balance spring with special micrometic index,
Swiss patent No. 101562. Striking and repeating
on gongs, the repeating dented in the band, "Grand /Petite
sonnrie" and Strike/Silent" nibs in the band. Split
seconds chronograph with visible work, button on the
winding crown and push piece in the band. Signed on
the dial, case and movement.
Previously
in the collection of His Majesty King
Farouk of Egypt, this watch was sold in March 1954
in the Cairo Sale of the Palace Collection, lot No.
450.
This
unique watch is illustrated in l'Univers de Vacheron
Constantin, Geneve, p.400. It is also illustrated,
much enlarged, in the same book p.274 and its movement
p.275-279.
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See
the outside watch
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