Modern Minimalism Vacheron Constantin
This project stands out among our works due to the unique design of the dial, the type of hands, and the overall appearance of the watch.
Modern Minimalism
Vacheron Constantin
This project stands out among our works due to its unique dial design, type of hands, and overall appearance. The project is executed in a minimalist style. The simplicity of the design is justified by the core principle: the watch has a clean and concise look, without any excesses or embellishments. Straight lines, geometrically correct shapes, and symmetry dominate here. Neutral gray and silver tones are used, with blued steel hands serving as a striking accent against this background. The watch displays only hours and minutes; even the second hand has been sacrificed for style – nothing superfluous, no complications, pure functionality. The dial features only indexes instead of numerical hour markers, minute markers at five-minute intervals, and the brand logo.
The choice of watch design was determined by the client's wishes. At the initial stage, we always strive to understand your preferences, lifestyle, and expectations. We gather as much information as possible about how you envision your future watch. Based on this, the concept of the piece is developed, materials are chosen, and the design is created. And of course, the appropriate movement is selected. The final agreed-upon project specifications become the binding document.
Patina Watch Studio offers you the opportunity to create personalized wristwatches that realize your ideas and requirements, based on antique and vintage movements from leading Swiss, German, and American watch companies such as Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Ulysse Nardin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, Rolex, ETA, Zenith, Longines, Omega, A. Lange & Söhne, Hamilton, Elgin, Howard, and many others. You can also purchase watch models from our existing inventory by visiting the relevant section of our website.
In this project, considering the overall concept, we used a movement from the renowned and oldest watch manufacturer in the world, Vacheron Constantin, founded in 1755. This company has never ceased operations for more than 268 years, faithfully preserving a proud heritage founded on the transfer of impeccable craftsmanship, exquisite style, and the art of "Belle Haute Horlogerie" (beautiful high watchmaking) from generation to generation.
The company became known as Vacheron & Constantin in 1819 and was renamed Vacheron Constantin in 1985 after the former Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Sheikh Yamani took over management. In 1996, Vendôme Luxury Group, a subsidiary of Richemont, acquired the company, integrating it with Cartier, Piaget, and Baume & Mercier. Today, Vacheron Constantin operates as a "Specialist Watchmaking Division" under Richemont's leadership, alongside A. Lange & Söhne, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, and others.
Vacheron Constantin is one of the most respected luxury watch manufacturers and, as of 2022, has won 11 awards from the prestigious Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. Today, Vacheron Constantin is part of the so-called "Big Three" of Swiss luxury watchmakers, along with Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet.
Unfortunately, we acquired the movement without its original gold case, which had been crudely sold as scrap gold. However, considering the shape and execution of the preserved dial, it can be assumed that it originally belonged to the ultra-thin dress watch Vacheron Constantin ref. 33203. This model featured a rectangular case with rounded corners, made of 18-karat yellow gold, with hidden lugs, measuring 28.5 mm in width, 31.0 mm in height, and only 4.5 mm in thickness.
The photograph below is provided for illustrative purposes.
The movement used in this project is the VC 1003/1 caliber – a manually wound movement from Vacheron Constantin. This small, ultra-thin manual winding movement was first introduced in 1955. It is undoubtedly a part of the illustrious legacy of the renowned watchmaker and continues to be a subject of interest among specialists and collectors.
The ultra-thin caliber 1003 is iconic among watch enthusiasts, as it represented a significant technical achievement at the time of its release. It was an extremely complex movement to manufacture, given the thinness of its components, which placed high demands on the technical capabilities of the time. Today, producing this movement would be very expensive, and it remains highly regarded in the watchmaking community as one of the most elegant ultra-thin mechanical movements ever created. The development and introduction of cal. 1003 marked the final technological step in miniaturization of that era, a quantum leap forward in movement design. The thin cal. 1003 movements were, in fact, the foundation for all revolutionary styles that emerged from the late 1950s to the late 1970s.
Historically, Vacheron Constantin has frequently used calibers from other highly respected manufacturers such as Jaeger-LeCoultre, Frederic Piguet, and Lemania in their watches. The origins of this movement trace back to the beautiful and refined caliber 9ML from Audemars Piguet. Seeking to modernize the winding system and create a more robust construction for the future, Audemars Piguet, in collaboration with Vacheron & Constantin, commissioned Jaeger-LeCoultre to upgrade the caliber 9ML. Work began in 1952, and the result was the cal. 803 prototype, which appeared in 1953. Compared to cal. 9ML, cal. 803 reduced the number of bridges to provide greater structural stability and increase the movement's reliability.
By agreement with Vacheron & Constantin, Audemars Piguet retained the exclusive right to use the new caliber, named cal. 2003, for two years. Vacheron & Constantin were willing to wait, as they had grand plans to release their version, cal. 1003, in 1955 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the manufacture, which was when it was introduced.
The cal. 1003 manual-winding movement with 17 jewels consisted of a total of 117 parts. The diameter of the movement was 9 lines (21.1 mm) with a thickness of only 1.64 mm, and at the time of its introduction, it was the smallest manual-winding movement in the world. For comparison, this micro-mechanical marvel was almost the size of a small Swiss 20-cent coin. The legendary caliber (whose superiority was later confirmed by orders from other renowned thin-watchmaking brands) was placed in three round models with a case thickness of just 4.54 mm, making them the thinnest watches at the time, setting world records. These three models forever imprinted the image of watches in the true Vacheron Constantin style: round, classic, ultra-thin, and extremely reliable.
It should be noted that the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture itself never used the caliber developed as a result of this collaboration in its watches: it was intended exclusively for Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin.
The cal. 1003 movement has only hour and minute hands and is presented in several modifications: the basic one – cal. 1003/1 (17 jewels, without shock protection for the balance staff), the improved one – cal. 1003/2 (18 jewels, added shock protection for the balance staff), and the modern one (introduced in 2010 for the 55th anniversary of cal. 1003) – cal. 1003/3 (18 jewels, shock protection for the balance staff, bridges, and main plate made of 18-karat gold). There is also an artistically skeletonized and hand-engraved version, cal. 1003 SQ (Traditionnelle Manual-Winding Ultra-Thin Skeleton).
Most people do not realize that true ultra-thin movements are more complex, expensive, and exclusive than most other highly complicated movements. Vacheron Constantin models equipped with cal. 1003 are sold today for over $20,000.
The presented movement has a rhodium coating. The decorative finish is carried out with extraordinary care: the main plate of the movement is decorated on both sides with circular graining in the "perlage" technique (French – perlage), the bridges are finished in the "Geneva wave" technique (French – Côtes de Genève), rounded bridges, beveled edges, and polished steel parts – all done by hand. Performing such delicate work is challenging on any movement, but on such an ultra-thin one, these tasks become exponentially more difficult. This attention to detail, even on parts that are not visible, is a hallmark of a high-class movement. Note also the large, clean rubies and the securing of the crown and barrel wheels with three screws.
The quality of Vacheron Constantin's finishing surpassed that of Jaeger-LeCoultre's movements. After arriving at the factory, the movements from Jaeger-LeCoultre underwent final finishing in accordance with the strict specifications and high-quality standards upheld by Vacheron Constantin.
Such an exceptional level of finishing earned the cal. 1003 the prestigious Geneva Seal, an independent highest mark of distinction awarded by the Geneva government, certifying the origin, accuracy, reliability, and high quality of models from select Geneva manufacturers. The seal is placed on the central bridge and duplicated on the main plate under the balance wheel.
In essence, this movement has chronometer quality, as it passed the Geneva Seal tests, including the chronometric test. However, after passing this test, no certificate is issued – the distinction is only marked by the seal on the movement. It is noteworthy that compared to the Swiss testing agencies (French – Bureaux officiels de contrôle de la Marche des Montres) included in COSC (French – Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres), the Geneva standards have always been higher: the testing period was 18 days compared to 15 days by COSC standards.
The movement with serial number 693365 engraved on the main plate between the bridges near the crown wheel corresponds approximately to the years of manufacture between 1975 and 1980. Similar Vacheron Constantin wristwatches with serial numbers close to 693167 and 694818 are known, and archival records indicate they were produced in 1978 and 1980, respectively.
Overall, this movement represents something close to the practical limit for an ultra-thin hand-wound movement of traditional design. Yet, it does not compromise on the beauty of its design: the layout of the cal. 1003 is extremely attractive and functional. Many experts consider the cal. 1003 to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing and refined ultra-thin movements, challenging the laws of mechanics for over 65 years. Its assembly is highly complex, and its adjustment requires the full mastery accumulated by Vacheron Constantin in the field of fine watchmaking.
Here are the technical specifications of the caliber 9''' Extra Flat – 1003/1:
Caliber: 9''' Extra Flat – 1003/1
Overall diameter: 21.1 mm (9¼''')
Fitting diameter: 20.8 mm
Height: 1.64 mm
Number of jewels: 17
Frequency: 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 31 hours
Movement type: manual
Escapement:
- Swiss lever escapement with straight-line lever escapement
- Balance spring: Flat balance spring
- Balance wheel: Non-cut bimetallic temperature-compensated balance with two arms
Manufacturer: Jaeger-LeCoultre SA; Vacheron & Constantin SA
Start of production: 1955 (development between 1952-1955)
Movement type: Anchor, Savonnette
Materials: Brass, rhodium plating, steel
Functions:
- Hours
- Minutes
Features:
- Winding and setting of the hands via the crown
- Balance spring stud holder pins located directly on the regulator index
- Anchor wheel bridge with applied jewel in a gold chaton
- Balance bridge with applied jewel, without shock protection device
- 117 individual components
- Geneva Seal
Finishing quality:
- Finishing: clean finishing
- Rhodium plating
- Bridges decorated with Geneva stripes
- Circular graining (perlage)
- All bridges with chamfered edges
- All steel parts polished and chamfered
- Polished screw heads
Country of origin: Switzerland
Our designers selected the mechanism and took the necessary measurements, then began developing a dial sketch and a rear decorative ring, which also serves to mount and secure the mechanism inside the watch case. The client requested a case diameter of 41.0 mm, while the mechanism itself is only 21.1 mm in diameter, hence the necessity for such a ring from a technical and design standpoint.
After the client approved the overall concept, we proceeded with detailing the design. The technical specification outlined that both the dial and the ring should be crafted from sterling silver (925 fineness), feature skeletonization, and possess a multi-layered structure. To facilitate the engraving process, it was decided to make the dial two-parted.
Different colors on the mock-up indicate varying heights: gray represents the original thickness of the silver plate, while black denotes the engraved areas. Thus, the dial will consist of two rings with an outer diameter of 37.2 mm, which will be stacked on top of each other. The visible diameter of the dial will be 34.3 mm.
After drawing the mock-up, it was handed over to a specialist for laser cutting and engraving of the components. Here is the result.
This bridge, besides its decorative purpose, serves a practical function: it holds the hour wheel in place, preventing it from slipping off the axis, particularly at the "9 o'clock" position.
Simultaneously, the lathe operator machined a brass spacer ring, also sent for laser engraving. This ring features the iconic Vacheron Constantin logos arranged around its circumference. It includes a special groove where the components of the dial are placed, ensuring they remain securely positioned without shifting.
The emblem, which has become a symbol of perpetual pursuit of perfection for Vacheron Constantin, reproduces the shape of the same-named component of the watch mechanism. The Maltese cross is fixed on the winding barrel cover, ensuring the consistent transmission of energy from the mainspring and thereby enhancing the accuracy of the watch's timekeeping.
The trademark was officially registered by Vacheron & Constantin in the Federal Office of Intellectual Property of Switzerland on December 20, 1880, under number 355, among the first trademarks approved by the Federal Council of Switzerland following the adoption of the Marques de Fabrique (corporate brands) law in 1879. However, according to some sources, Vacheron & Constantin began using the emblem with the Maltese cross long before its official registration, at least as early as the 1870s.
After casting the dial, the master jeweler manually refined and engraved all its elements. Subsequently, the pieces underwent finishing grinding, polishing, and satin-finishing. In the final stage, to enhance contrast and expressiveness, white and black rhodium were applied electrochemically to specific areas of the dial and ring. Additionally, to protect against oxidation, both the dial and the ring were coated with a layer of platinum.
The described Vacheron & Constantin wristwatch mechanism, installed in this marriage, underwent hand engraving using burins. Platinum and bridges were engraved using the polyhedral volumetric surface technique, adding additional expressiveness to all the mechanism's components. Throughout this process, all original manufacturer inscriptions were preserved. Considering the thickness of the mechanism, which is only 1.64 mm, executing volumetric engraving was truly a challenging task. One can only admire the high artistic craftsmanship of the master jeweler who transformed the flawless mechanism of this renowned manufacture into a true masterpiece of contemporary applied jewelry art!
After completing all the engraving work, the mechanism was also coated with white and black rhodium using a galvanic process.
Then the watchmaker assembled, serviced, and adjusted the mechanism. We conducted a fitting of the completed dial and mechanism into the spacer ring, and everything aligned perfectly.
We did not forget about the hands either. Our designer created them in the same minimalist "Baton" style with slots for luminescent filling.
The client approved this design. For us, feedback from the client is extremely important. We regularly send photo reports on the work done, discuss various technical and visual aspects, and make necessary adjustments to the project based on the comments received.
The hands were laser-cut from steel, heated to a certain temperature, and then given the desired contrasting dark blue color.
For this project, at the client's request, we selected a round watch case with straight rounded lugs, made of medical-grade stainless steel SAE 316L. It is a three-piece, polished case with a screw-down case back. The case is water-resistant to 5ATM and equipped with two scratch-resistant sapphire crystals. This allows one to admire the results of our craftsmen's unique and artistic work from both the front and back of the watch, with light playfully penetrating the case and highlighting the engraver's skill. Additionally, through the transparent case back, one can observe the movement's operation, marking the passage of time.
Along the perimeter of the case back, we used a laser to engrave inscriptions reflecting the main characteristics of the movement.
A Maltese cross is also engraved on the large fluted crown.
When all the components of the watch were perfected, the watchmaker began the final assembly.
The watch was assembled, and it was time to choose a worthy strap. Our client selected a premium alligator leather strap. We fitted it with a butterfly clasp engraved with the Vacheron Constantin logo. Thus, the logo of the Swiss watch manufacturer is present on the dial, mechanism, case, and strap of the watch, uniting them into a cohesive whole.
The master attached the clasp to the strap, fitted the strap to the watch, and the watch went for quality control. As you already know, all our products must undergo testing for accuracy and power reserve, as well as inspection to ensure compliance with the technical specifications and quality standards developed in our workshop. Upon successful completion of these tests, a corresponding report is compiled, and the project is considered complete. The watch is then handed over to the client or made available for sale.
Regarding this project, we can state that the result of our collaborative effort is a unique bespoke piece, not a mass-produced item, infused with a substantial amount of hand craftsmanship and a part of the soul of everyone involved in its creation.
We succeeded in breathing new life into a vintage movement, transforming it into the heart of a unique, one-of-a-kind timepiece, created in close collaboration with and direct involvement from our client. Our client can rightfully consider themselves a full co-author of this exquisite creation!
The timepiece is fully functional as a timekeeping instrument and undoubtedly will help its owner emphasize their individuality and style.
If you have been inspired by our "CONTEMPORARY MINIMALISM" and wish to create your own personalized project, feel free to contact Patina Watch Studio.
Time is an invaluable resource that cannot be replenished. That's why the quality and reliability of timepieces, which measure its passage, are of immense importance. Watches not only serve as instruments for measuring time but also symbolize the style, status, and individuality of their owner. At our watch studio, we strive to create watches that will inspire and delight their owners for many years to come.
Every detail of our watches is crafted with special care and love for our craft. Our studio is home to professionals with years of experience who pour their heart into every model, whether it's classic, everyday, sporty, or luxurious men's skeleton watches. We use only high-quality materials to ensure that our products serve you faithfully and truthfully.
Our designers constantly seek inspiration from various aspects of life – nature, architecture, art, and culture. This enables us to create unique models that cater to a wide range of styles and preferences. We value each client and strive to satisfy all their desires. In our studio, you can not only order watches based on individual projects but also choose from our collection of ready-made models. Our craftsmen will take into account all your preferences and create unique timepieces that reflect your personality and lifestyle.
We are delighted to welcome new clients and are always eager to share our passion for high-quality and beautiful watches with you. Create your dream timepieces right now! Let them become an integral part of your style and bring you joy and confidence in every moment.
