Vacheron Constantin Mercator 43050 Yellow Gold

amanico · 2019-11-11T02:24:17Z

Explore the rare Vacheron Constantin Mercator Ref. 43050 in yellow gold, featuring retrograde hands and artistic dials. A guide for collectors.

amanico

WPS member · Vacheron Constantin forum

34 replies6841 views7 photos

amanico, a devoted admirer of the Vacheron Constantin Mercator, presents an in-depth look at the yellow gold Russia and Europe references. This article celebrates the unique retrograde complication and artistic dials of this rare and poetic timepiece, offering valuable insights for collectors interested in its history and acquisition.

It is not a mystery I am a huge fan of the Mercator. A special, refined, original and poetic piece from Vacheron which basically, made two versions, one with solid gold dial, and the other one with Enamel Champlevé dial.

If I am more fan of the Enamel Champlevé dials, I cannot deny the charm of the solid gold dials.

Here is an enemel Champlevé, " Germany ". Credit picture: Christies.

Now, the solid gold " Europe ":

And here, the Russia, limited to 20 pieces.

The Cal 1120. I always regretted that Vacheron didn't decorate this rotor, a bit more, like in the Saltarello, for example.

Let's end in beauty with the Europe and Russia versions, side by side.

There is one thing you have to experience by yourself, the ballet of the retrograde hands, and the " tac " they make when they are in action. Magic.

The Mercator is a pretty rare reference, with, according to a source very close to the brand, only 638 pieces in its 10 years life.

A last detail: Don't think 36 mm is too small here. In the reality, once on a normally sized wrist ( 16 to 17 cm ) , it is just perfect.

If you are looking for one, let me give you a recommendation: Be sure it has been recently serviced and check that the retrograde hands are working properly.

Best,

Nicolas

Key Points from the Discussion

The Mercator features two main dial versions: solid gold and enamel champlevé, with the enamel versions often being more sought after by collectors.
The 'ballet' and distinct 'tac' sound of the retrograde hands as they snap back are a unique and magical experience that must be witnessed in person.
The Vacheron Constantin Mercator is a rare reference, with only 638 pieces produced over its 10-year lifespan, making it a challenging find for collectors.
Despite its 36mm case size, the Mercator wears perfectly on a normal wrist (16-17 cm), defying expectations that it might appear too small.
When considering a Mercator, it is crucial to ensure it has been recently serviced and that the retrograde hands are functioning correctly.
The Caliber 1120 movement, while technically excellent, is noted for its somewhat understated rotor decoration compared to other Vacheron Constantin models like the Saltarello.

The Discussion

serg70

Nov 11, 2019

Thank you Nicholas for perfect pictures!! Always wanted to have pics of ALL 43050 (solid gold or enameled) for All editions with productions years and number of watches for each... )) WBR Serge

serg70

Nov 11, 2019

For Lange we have a table from CR about almost all watches, but nothing for VC... WBR Serge

Mary Anny

Nov 11, 2019

Analog watches that my youngest daughter might read easily. Are they expensive? ;-)

ZSHSZ

Nov 11, 2019

Thank you for reminding us this rare gem .

KamalRostov

Nov 11, 2019

with this, imho 😍

halgedahl

Nov 11, 2019

I've been aware of these magnificent pieces only since your post of… what? a month ago? six weeks? Whatever. And your description (I think this is what you meant) of the sound of the hands snapping back in retrograde only adds to the wonder. But a hopeful word to those who would look for one of these rarities. Just now I checked Chrono24 and fairly quickly found four examples before quitting the search to answer your post. One example of your favorite Enamel Champleve (sorry about no accent) Ger

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Vacheron Constantin Mercator 43050 Yellow Gold

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