Swiss gold complicated astronomical lever watch Circa 1964

Gold open faced watch with nine complications
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A very fine, important and slim Swiss 18 carat yellow gold open faced keyless pocket watch made by Vacheron Constantin SA in Geneva, circa 1964. An astronomical watch with a minute repeater, perpetual calendar, moon phases, moon age, a split seconds chronograph and progressive 30 minute register. The polished and brushed case with inclined bezels. Matte silver dial with applied gold baton hour indexes, an outer minute track with a fifth of a second timing scale and Arabic five minute numerals, subsidiary dials for days of the week, months, leap year cycle with outer 30 minute register, the date, constant seconds combined with the moon age and concentric phases of the moon, gold hands. Rhodium plated movement with Geneva stripping decoration, 36 jewels, a straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and five positions, Breguet balance spring and swan neck micrometre regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a slide on the band, the split seconds chronograph with visible work, a start/stop winding crown and split seconds through a push piece in the band. Dial and case, movement signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 50 mm
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Signed: Vacheron & Constantin Genève
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The property of an Eastern Gentleman.
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Vacheron & Constantin made six examples of this reference. The present watch is the third of the series.
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The triple complication watch was undoubtedly the most successful model for over 80 years. From 1880 to approximately the end of the 1960s, it was the symbol of Swiss horological mastery. Produced by only a very few great watchmaking companies such as Vacheron & Constantin, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet.
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It was intended for an elegant and demanding clientele, as a timekeeping instrument of great precision, usefulness and dependability. The difficulty was not just in the execution of the complications, but in fitting them into a case so slim.