Swiss aluminium lever watch in original box Circa 1954

Aluminium open faced pocket watch
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An important Genèva aluminium pocket watch – with original box, circa 1954.
An aluminium case, push back, presentation engraving: “Presented to W. Cooling by Northern Aluminium Company Ltd. in recognition of Long and Loyal Service 1954”.
Aluminium dial,, applied Breguet numerals, auxiliary seconds, aluminium Breguet hands, aluminium bridge movement, “fausses côtes” decoration, 2 adj., 17 jewels, club-tooth lever escapement, gold screw compensation balance, index spring fine adjusting device.
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Diameter: 44 mm
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Weight: 20 g
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Signed:  Vacheron & Constantin   Genève
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Vacheron & Constantin “Aluminium”
These watches were not available for sale but were exclusively produced for an aluminium factory in Canada. 30 pieces were produced in the Thirties and another 500 in the Fifties.

The Northern Aluminium Company, Ltd
Was founded in Canada in 1902, as a Canadian subsidiary of the Pittsburgh Reduction Company. In 1925 the company changed it’s name to Aluminium of Canada. Later the company changed it’s name to Alcon and is still operating under this name today.