Messages: 422 Location: Canada
Registered: December 2004
The Last Pocket Watch
Wed, 17 October 2012 18:37
While VC still has a pocket watch in the catalog, the beautiful Patrimony Contemporaine Excellence Platine, it uses the 4400 wrist watch caliber. So I was intrigued to find this circa 2000 new-old-stock offering recently and had to add it to my cabinet. I believe its caliber 1701 is the last dedicated pocket watch movement VC made! Thankfully the lineage isn't dead, as Alex assures they are still able and willing to make one up on special order, including a stunning sequelette version.
The 44mm case is plain polished and it is rather hefty with thick covers suitable for engraving or enamelling. The movement was my main interest however; 20 jewels, rhodium-plated, "fausses côte" decoration, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and five positions, dual shock protection, and a self-compensating flat balance spring.
- need2speed