2005, Vacheron Constantin, the oldest manufacturer of watches in the world, celebrates its quarter millennium, its 250 th anniversary. To mark this exceptional event, Antiquorum, the world's leading auctioneer in the field of horology, is proud to announce the auction of 250 of the most rare, complicated, and most beautiful Vacheron Constantin timepieces, representative of the art of Vacheron Constantin from the late 18 th century to the present day. The auction will take place on 3 April 2005, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel du Rhône, Geneva,

The choice of monarchs since its earliest days, Vacheron Constantin timepieces, past and present, can boast a comprehensive list of nobility, high-profile world leaders, stars of the stage and screen, artists, designers and successful business personalities among those who have owned and cherished their own much sought-after Vacheron Constantin timepiece - each piece representative of the Art of Vacheron Constantin.

It was evident from the beginning that Vacheron Constantin timepieces were something special - pieces that would stand the test of time, changing fashions and the demand for ever increasing complexity and technicity in complication and design. Not surprisingly Vacheron Constantin has always built on the know-how of the place of its birth - the world's major watch producing regions of Geneva and the Swiss Jura. This know-how includes the highly developed skills needed for working with precious metals, jewels and enamels, an eye for detailing and delicate, refined craftsmanship.

Typical of the Art Deco pieces in the sale is a platinum, yellow gold and enamel, rectangular gentleman's wristwatch produced in 1924, which was originally retailed by J.E. Caldwell & Co. It has geometrical   blue "champlevé" enamel decoration on the bezel with a yellow gold inlay. The dial is in matte silver with luminous Arabic numerals and outer minute track. The c ase and movement are signed, and the dial is signed by the retailer. Estimate: SFr 40,000 - 60,000. (see image: 1924)

Of the clocks in the sale, an exceptionally beautiful, chinoiserie, Vacheron Constantin /Verger (retailed by La Cloche, Paris, circa 1925), is typical of the Vacheron Constantin ability to elegantly combine precious and semi-precious materials. An eight-day-going, diamond-set, desk clock it is in black onyx, coral, mother-of-pearl, gold and silver. (see image: Buddha) Estimate: SFr 150,000 - 200,000.

It is not surprising that a highlight of this one-day thematic sale is bound to be the exceptional King Fouad I pocket watch. This superb Vacheron Constantin pocket watch was given, in July 1929, by the colony of Swiss people living in Egypt, to King Fouad I of Egypt, to mark the occasion of his visit to Switzerland. A remarkable 18K gold timepiece with silver dial and the Egyptian Royal family's coat of arms enameled on the reverse, it boasts a comprehensive array of 12 complications. A split-second chronograph with 30-minute register it has a perpetual calendar, displays the date, day, month and year with full leap year cycle, moon phases, minute repeater that strikes on demand on three-gongs, grande sonnerie that strikes the hours and quarters on three-gongs and petite sonnerie which strikes the quarter hours on three-gongs.

...an exceptionally rare Vacheron Constantin 18K pink gold, minute-repeating gentleman's wristwatch, with the currently much sought-after pink gold dial, produced in 1943.   The dial, c ase and movement are signed.   Estimate: SFr 200,000 - 250,000.

Larger image

...and an extremely rare, so-called 'cioccolatone', Vacheron Constantin gentleman's astronomic wristwatch made circa 1955 in 18k gold. Impressively large and stunningly square, it is a designer's dream, a beautifully simple-looking watch, even though it boasts a triple-calendar and moon-face display. The dial, c ase and movement are signed.   Estimate: SFr 70,000 - 90,000.

Larger image

Also made in 1952 is a magnificent and very rare 18K gold, astronomical, keyless, minute repeating dress watch with perpetual calendar, phase s and age s of the moon, split seconds chronograph and progressive 30 minutes register , Ref. 6526 . Vacheron Constantin produced only six examples of this reference numbered 511622 to 511627 this watch being No. 511622. The dial, case and movement are signed. Estimate: SFr 120,000 - 160,000.

Larger image

And what, you may ask, about the more recent pieces? We promise you that as the day of the sale gets closer you will hear some very exciting news about more unique pieces that will also be put to auction at this special Antiquorum 'Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Constantin' thematic sale to be held on 3 April 2005 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel du Rhône, Geneva. As they say: 'Watch this space!'

The catalogue for this auction will be posted online at www.antiquorum.com approximately 2 months prior to the auction. Once the catalogue is available online clients may register for online bidding. After receiving a paddle and a pin number, clients have the option of placing absentee bids directly on the site, or bidding interactively on auction day. For those collectors who are simply interested in following the auction as it progresses, a live Internet broadcast will take place on the same site, for which no registration is required.