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Throughout its history, Vacheron Constantin has consistently distinguished itself through creativity and innovation, although this aspect of the manufacture is often overshadowed by its more widely celebrated technical achievements. The present watch is a compelling example of the bold design language that flourished during the 1970s, a decade in which the boundaries between fine watchmaking and jewellery design became increasingly blurred.

Crafted in yellow gold, the watch features an elegant tonneau-shaped case that perfectly reflects the aesthetic codes of the period. The black lacquered dial provides a striking contrast to the warm tones of the gold and is adorned with applied baton hour markers and a discreet date aperture at 3 o’clock.

What truly sets this timepiece apart, however, is its remarkable integrated yellow-gold bracelet. Executed with an intricate woven, textile-like texture, it demonstrates an exceptional level of craftsmanship and creates a fluid, supple feel on the wrist. 

Powering the watch is an automatic movement, combining everyday functionality with the refined finishing and mechanical excellence for which Vacheron Constantin has long been renowned.

The Patek Philippe Reference 5013 stands among the most important and sophisticated wristwatches produced by the manufacture in the modern era. Introduced in 1992 and remaining in production until approximately 2011, the reference marked a significant technical milestone as the first automatic Patek Philippe wristwatch to combine a minute repeater, perpetual calendar and retrograde date indication within a single movement.

Housed in a distinctive tonneau-shaped case, the reference departs from Patek Philippe’s traditional round grand complications, a design choice that greatly contributes to its enduring appeal among collectors. According to certain scholars and specialists, total production of this reference may have been limited to as few as 101 examples across all metals, with only 20 produced in pink gold, making watches such as the present example among the rarest of the series. Beyond aesthetics, the case material plays an important role in the acoustic performance of the minute repeater, with pink gold examples particularly admired for their warm, rich and resonant tone.

The present watch is further distinguished by its striking black dial, enhanced by applied pink gold Breguet numerals and matching pink gold Breguet hands, creating an elegant contrast that perfectly complements the complexity of the display.

At its heart beats the celebrated caliber R 27 PS QR, an exceptionally sophisticated automatic movement fitted with a 22K gold micro-rotor and regarded as one of Patek Philippe’s most accomplished grand complication calibers.

Preserved in excellent overall condition, the watch is offered complete with its original certificate of origin, presentation box, setting pin and additional solid caseback.

The Oyster case is one of Rolex’s most important innovations, introduced in 1926 as the world’s first commercially successful waterproof wristwatch case. A major technical breakthrough, it laid the foundations of Rolex’s identity and remains at the core of the brand’s production today.

The present example belongs to the earliest generation of Rolex Oyster wristwatches and is distinguished by its uncommon faceted octagonal case. Characteristic of the late 1920s and early 1930s, the geometric design reflects the influence of the Art Deco period while retaining the technical features that made the Oyster revolutionary. Its attractive two-tone dial features Arabic numerals at 3, 9 and 12 o’clock, a subsidiary seconds register at 6 o’clock and original radium-filled cathedral hands. The contrasting sectors and period typography enhance the watch’s distinctive vintage character. The inside caseback is stamped with several British and international patent references relating to the Oyster waterproof construction, providing tangible evidence of Rolex’s pioneering research and development efforts during this formative period.

Preserved in excellent overall condition, the watch retains strong case proportions and an attractive patina to the dial. As an early Oyster model, it represents a fascinating example from the foundations of Rolex history.

Introduced in 1926, the Rolex Oyster marked one of the most important turning points in the history of wristwatches, becoming the world’s first commercially successful waterproof wristwatch case. At a time when wristwatches were still considered fragile and unreliable, Rolex revolutionized the industry through the Oyster system, featuring a hermetically sealed case construction with screw-down bezel, caseback and crown. The success of the Oyster was famously cemented in 1927, when Mercedes Gleitze crossed the English Channel wearing a Rolex Oyster around her neck, demonstrating the watch’s extraordinary resistance to water and harsh conditions.

The present Rolex Oyster Ultra Prima represents a fascinating and extremely early example of this groundbreaking period of production. Preserved in excellent overall condition, the watch features a highly unusual and rarely seen yellow gold faceted case with finely fluted bezel, strongly inspired by the geometric language of Art Deco design. Far from the utilitarian appearance commonly associated with later Oyster models, this example perfectly illustrates how early Rolex waterproof watches still retained the elegance and decorative experimentation typical of the interwar period.

The silvered dial enhances the watch’s early Oyster character, featuring bold oversized Arabic numerals, distinctive cathedral-style hands and the coveted “Ultra Prima” designation, used by Rolex during the period to identify particularly high-grade and precision-focused movements. Combining historical importance, uncommon aesthetics and remarkable presence on the wrist, the present watch stands as a superb testimony to the very beginning of the Oyster story and the birth of the modern waterproof wristwatch.

The nickname “Sommatore”, meaning “adder” or “totalizer” in Italian, was given to the model by Italian collectors due to its particularly innovative chronograph display. Unlike traditional chronographs of the era, where elapsed minutes were indicated through a small subsidiary register, the Sommatore featured centrally displayed chronograph indications, allowing elapsed timing to be read in a much clearer and more immediate way. This unusual system gave the watch a highly technical and instrumental character, making it one of the most distinctive Longines chronographs ever produced.

At the heart of the watch lies the legendary manually wound caliber 13ZN, considered by many collectors to be one of the greatest chronograph movements ever produced. Equipped with the sophisticated flyback function, developed for aviation and professional timing applications, the movement perfectly showcases Longines’ technical innovation during the golden age of chronograph production.

The present example stands out for its particularly attractive and sporty configuration. The large stainless steel case with stepped bezel and round chronograph pushers is paired with a beautiful silvered dial featuring Arabic numerals, outer minute track and elegantly proportioned subsidiary registers.

It is further accompanied by digital Extract from the Archives confirming production of the watch in 1949.