Comments:
Vacheron Constantin Medicus Chronograph.
30 pieces, in platinum, from year 2000. 37 mm.
Credit unknown, but I will happily do so on request.
Best,
Nicolas
I think the photo is from Phillips:
https://www.phillips.com/detail/vacheron-constantin/140925
Tim Mosso made an interesting review of this very special timepiece:
The only version
with the Lemania 1872 worthy of VC's name on the dial, IMO. But even then...for all the hand labour that went into these, why not go for a better chronograph? Carlos Perez savaged the choice as "perhaps the most disheartening example of an appparently growing disregard for the spirit of craft" in his seminal Decay of the Angel articles. While the upgrade to skeletonizing the movment certainly addressed aspects of "craft", the pedestrian Medicus engine was only exceeded in banality by the best-forgotten calibre 1096. Thankfully, those days of borrowed and compromised movements are (mostly) behind us.
Agreed that the movement is not at the level of the watch... But the work on it is quite remarkable.
What a beauty...
As you've mentioned, while the movement isn't great, the work and finishing on it is top notch.
BTW, there is also an earlier PT version (Ref: 47151), with rose gold plated movement.
* pic from Sotheby's
BTW, there is also an earlier PT version (Ref: 47151), with rose gold plated movement.
* pic from Sotheby's
For those who need the numbers
Medicus was introduced in 2000 and received its name due to the pulsations dial. All used the VC calibre 1145 based on Lemania 1872 cam-lever chronograph familiar to many in later Speedmasters. Ref 47150 came in a solid rose gold case. The 47151 shared by Goh was available in platinum with a skeletonized and engraved gold-plated movement in 10 pieces. Ref 47152 returned to rose gold but with a skeletonized rhodium-plated movement in 30 pieces.
I knew the rose gold, but I didn't know the platinum with its engraved gold plated movement.
Both PT and RG came with different plated movements...
Ref 47151 came in PT case with rose gold plated movement, as well as RG case with rhodium plated movement, each made in 10 pieces.
Ref 47152 came in PT case with platinum plated movement, as well as RG case with rose gold plated movement, each made in 30 pieces.
Ref 47152 came in PT case with platinum plated movement, as well as RG case with rose gold plated movement, each made in 30 pieces.
Thanks for these details :-)
I will correct my database. Do you happen to have any catalog images?
No. I don't have them.
Actually I have gotten these numbers from your post:
www.watchprosite.com
But it seems to have some errors, I believe the correct numbers are:
- Ref. 47151/000P-8917 in platinum (10 pieces),
- Ref. 47151/000R-8918 in rose gold (30 pieces),
both with rose gold-plated skeleton movements.
- Ref. 47152/000R-8918 in rose gold (10 pieces),
- Ref. 47152/000P-8917 in platinum (30 pieces)
both with rhodium-plated skeleton movements.
www.watchprosite.com
But it seems to have some errors, I believe the correct numbers are:
- Ref. 47151/000P-8917 in platinum (10 pieces),
- Ref. 47151/000R-8918 in rose gold (30 pieces),
both with rose gold-plated skeleton movements.
- Ref. 47152/000R-8918 in rose gold (10 pieces),
- Ref. 47152/000P-8917 in platinum (30 pieces)
both with rhodium-plated skeleton movements.