I was offered a watch that was impossible for me to refuse, a Vacheron & Constantin
Deck watch in silver with the German Marine insignia of the 3rd Reich. Not everyday you get to see one of these, let alone buy one.
The dial has seen better days, but it is original and hasn't been spoiled by a so called restoration.
The back has been heavily polished, but somehow, whoever was maltreating this beautiful piece, took pity and stopped, but not before a lot of the original numbering was removed/filed down. Luckily the Marine number M 1414 and the eagle can still be seen when looked at from an oblique angle. These watches were made from the 30s and have a 32-hr. Power reserve indicator.
The heart of this is the very fine rhodium-plated movement with big chronometer balance was made to perfection!
These watches were built for military purposes, accuracy was of utmost importance.

To the watch;
Vacheron & Constantin
Deck watch in silver
with German Marine insignia


Size:

17 mm - thick
Ø 60 mm - Lug to lug


Movement:

Vacheron & Constantin, caliber 162, nickel lever movement with Geneva stripes, large balance, Gooseneck whip regulator

Dated:
c.1942

Case:

large heavy, open 0.925 silver case with the emblems of the 3rd Reich on the back cover.

Dial:

original silvered dial with black Arabic numerals. Subdial for the seconds at 6 clock position and a 32 hour up-and-down display below the "12".

Facilities:

Anchor chronometer; with up down indicator

Description:

For an illustration of the Watch compare:
Eder, N., "Beobachtungsuhren" Callwey Verlag, Munich, 1987, p.148 f, Figure 69, 70b
Dr. Konrad Knirim; German Military Timepieces, page 235

Pictures;



Inside caseback






Dustcover





Movement








Caseback






Best Regards

Gorgeous watch Werner. And nice to see you posting here.

Nice one and the dial is not that bad looking
for being metal one.

I wouldn't have guessed that V-C made any watches for the Nazi war machine. I thought the Swiss were neutral. Then again, as I understand it, an American Co called IBM sold machines there at the time as well.
DMs uber alles.

kh

A beauty. Swiss quality simply doesn't get any better for this era of watchmaking.

William