Vacheron Constantin 18k Stepped Teardrop 1940s
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- Description
- BRAND HISTORY
Vacheron Constantin Sub Second Teardrop — 1940s
Mid-Century Elegance, Masterfully Engineered
This exceptionally rare Vacheron Constantin dress watch from the 1940s represents the golden age of Swiss craftsmanship. Housed in a beautifully proportioned 33 mm 18k yellow gold case by Eggly & Cie, it blends refined geometry with subtle wrist presence.
The untouched silver/white dial and the stepped teardrop lugs are the stars of the show — richly textured and perfectly balanced with applied golden indices, numerals and slim gold stick hands. It’s a dial execution seldom seen today, and one that exemplifies Vacheron’s dedication to hand-finished artistry.
Inside beats the charming Caliber 458, a manual-wind movement from one of Vacheron’s most celebrated eras. Together with the elegant sub-seconds register and classic mid-century case architecture, this piece stands as a true gentleman’s watch: understated, sophisticated, and undeniably rare.
- wrist size in our picture is 18cm circumference -
DIAL:
- original never touched silver/white dial in great condition
- original hands and crown
STRAP & BUCKLE:
- matte black GOLDAMMER Kardinal leather strap fitting up to 20 cm wrist size / 2 mm thick
- gold plated GOLDAMMER buckle
CASE:
- good overall condition, showing some traces of use
- 3- body 18k yellow gold case with snap-on case back from case maker Eggly & Cie
- 32.5 mm (without crown) / 38 mm (lug-to-lug) / 18 mm (between lugs) / 8.5 mm thick
- year: 1940s
- total weight: 33 g
MOVEMENT:
- Vacheron Constantin Cal. 458 - manual wound
- 17 jewels, 18000 A/h, 46 hours power reserve
- professionally serviced 12/2025
- +1 sec/d / 280°
BOX & PAPERS:
- GOLDAMMER certificate of authenticity & service documentation card
- GOLDAMMER box
GOLDAMMER REFERENCE: #1319
Vacheron Constantin
Since 1755, Vacheron Constantin has been the quiet cornerstone of Swiss watchmaking — the world’s oldest watch manufacturer in continuous operation. Yet despite that extraordinary lineage, the maison never shouts. It whispers — with elegance, restraint, and an unwavering commitment to horological perfection.
There is something profoundly dignified about a Vacheron Constantin. For over 250 years, it has crafted watches not just for collectors, but for kings, popes, sultans, and visionaries. Napoleon Bonaparte wore one. So did Harry Truman and the Duke of Windsor. But this isn’t a brand about ostentation. It’s about refinement. Purity of design. A kind of timeless confidence that doesn’t beg to be noticed, but rewards those who do.
From the sweeping curves of their ultra-thin dress watches to the mechanical genius behind their high complications, Vacheron Constantin represents the pinnacle of classical Swiss artistry. Every piece they create carries the imprint of tradition, yet never feels frozen in time. Their iconic Maltese cross — born from a gear component used in precise movement regulation — is a symbol of their relentless pursuit of harmony between function and form.
To wear a Vacheron is to embrace a watch that has nothing to prove, yet says everything about you. It is for the collector who has moved beyond trend — someone who values legacy over hype, craftsmanship over clout. Someone who recognizes that true connoisseurship lies not in loud statements, but in quiet excellence.
And in a world that moves fast and shouts louder, a Vacheron Constantin remains calm. Enduring. Certain.
After all, as their motto — unchanged since 1819 — reminds us:
“Do better if possible, and that is always possible.”
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