Tomas Schmid
1
VC Toledo alternate faces?
I was recently given what I assume to be a Toledo 1952, but the face is completely different than the standard Toledo '52 with the ring-in-square dial.
This is a calendar model with a black faceplate with black chaining and white hatched bars on each side for counting minutes. The maltese cross is at the 12 o'clock position, year and month directly beneath, and "VACHERON CONSTANTIN" and "gen?ve" beneath the year and month. The day-of-month dial is in the 3 o'clock position and the day-of-week dial at the 9 o'clock position. The hands are tapered obelisk-shaped and the second hand is arrow-shaped with a slender pointer (not an isosclese triangle) and a "tail" about a quarter of the length of the "shaft" disposed on opposite sides of the rotational axis. The numerals form an octagon thusly:
11 + 1
10 2
. .
8 4
7 5
with each side abutting the case. The hands, second hand pointer, and numerals all phosphoresce.
Most interestingly, instead of a moonphase at the 6 o'clock position, there is a circular "keyhole" revealing the balance wheel covered by a diamonded-chased bridge that looks like an on-coming airplane with engines at the wingtips. There are two blue screws at either "wingtip" and a red stone over the movement axis (I don't whether this is a ruby).
I think the case is stainless, not WG, and the back does not have any serial numbers, but reads:
+
VACHERON CONSTANTIN
Maufacture Horlog?re. Gen?ve, depuis 1755
ToledO52
(That last isn't a typo, it's written with an uppercase "O")
(I apologise for the detailed text description, but my camera is in the shop.)
Although this is a "fake," it is a beautiful timepiece. I was told that the watch was a duplicate that was made for insurance purposes and was meant to be worn regularly, with the "real" VC kept in the vault. My question is whether there ever was such a Toledo, or whether this watch is just a folly. I have scoured the web and have not been able to find any reference site showing a full slate of watches and variations. The only Toledos I've found were the original and the '52. Any help would be appreciated.
