Swiss 18 carat gold minute repeating lever watch Circa 1856

Gold minute repeating lever watch
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A fine and rare Swiss Vacheron Constantin watch with one horological complication, 18k yellow gold, circa 1856. Gilded brass movement, with going barrel, straight-line equilibrated lever escapement, compensated balance with gold poising screws and blued steel hairspring with terminal curve from the Archives.
Open faced, keywind, round-shaped, pocket watch, hinged case back, and one horological complication: Minute repeater on two steel gongs, activated by the slide at 3 o’clock. Case back guilloché engine-turned; the centre, engraved in taille-douce (fine cut) with a cypher.
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Diameter: 46.5 mm
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Signed: Vacheron Constantin
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It’s extremely rare to find a minute-repeater made at this period. It’s also probably one of the first minute-repeater ever produced by the Genevan manufactory.
Fitted box and Extract from the Archives.