Swiss aluminium open faced lever pocket watch Circa 1956

Aluminium lever watch by Vacheron & Constantin
–
A rare, one of the few still existing Swiss aluminium open faced lever pocket watches, circa 1956. Aluminium Vacheron & Constantin precision movement, fine adjusting device, 17 jewels. Aluminium dial with Arabic hours and outer minute divisions, subsidiary seconds, aluminium Breguet hands. Plain case, the back with gift dedication of the Aluminium Limited, the inside punched Vacheron & Constantin Swiss. Dial signed, case numbered, movement signed and numbered. Comes with the original box and papers. In complete original condition.
–
Diameter: 44.5 mm
–
Weight: 21 g
–
Signed: Vacheron & Constantin Genève Swiss
–
Vacheron & Constantin received an order from Canadian Aluminium Limited to produce an entirely aluminium pocket watch. These watches were given to employees of the company to celebrate their 25th anniversary. Despite the aluminium case, this watch should have the outstanding features of a Vacheron & Constantin gold watch. From 1938-1950 a total of 271 of these precision watches were produced, weighing only ¼ of the weight of the gold version and today are wanted collector’s watches. Today, some of these watches achieve remarkable collector’s prices.