- Vacheron Constantin 1003
Vacheron Constantin Historiques 1955 will make its official debut soon at SIHH 2010 in January. Inspired by one of the reference 4961, the Historiques 1955 is smaller in size and much thinner than the Vacheron Constantin ref. 4961, one of the three historical models launched in 1955, that it is inspired by and base on. The round case is done in 4N gold and 36mm wide. And the caliber 1003 movement inside is crafted from in 18k yellow gold.
The calibre 1003, having a history of 50 years, is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful and refine ultra movements. Now it has been redesigned to be 1.64mm thick, a market slimness record to fit into the Historiques 1955 of just 4.1 mm thick case, the the world's thinnest mechanical hand-wound watch now.
And the redesigned Calibre 1003 remains 21.10 mm diameter. And I composed of 117 parts with the bridges and the main plate done in 18-carat gold. And various exquisite decorations are adopted to make it a true work of art, including Cotes de Geneve, beveling and chamfering applied by hands. The finishing reaches such a high-level that the redesigned Calibre 1003 has been awarded with the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva, an independent and sovereign certification awarded by the State of Geneva which thereby guarantees the origin, precision, durability and fine craftsmanship of models from a handful of Geneva-based watch companies. And it beats at 18,000VPH and has a power reserve of 30 hours which is adorable considering the small size. And the display case back allows you to enjoy the mechanical aesthetics of this exceptional movement.