VACHERON & CONSTANTIN of 1905, No 279712 for project

As for the mentioned trademark, Switzerland didn't legalize patents and trademarks particularly early. Although the use of stamps and marks dates back to antiquity, the modern concept of branding and logos emerged during the industrialization of the 19th century. France passed the first "Law on Manufacturing and Trademarks" in 1857, and soon after, the UK, Australia, the USA, and Germany followed suit.

After lengthy discussions, the Swiss Confederation finally adopted the "Marques de Fabrique" (corporate brands) law in 1879. The Swiss Federal Council reviewed the earliest trademark applications, approving the initial set on November 1, 1880. In this "first batch" of approvals, watch brands and companies predominated, and registration numbers were assigned roughly in alphabetical order.

Among others, in the very first lists from December 3 and 20, 1880, and January 28, 1881, under numbers 330, 331, 332, 354, 355, and 399, the trademarks of Vacheron & Constantin, manufacturers from Geneva, were registered.

However, according to some sources, Vacheron & Constantin began using the stamp with the depiction of the Maltese cross long before its official registration, at least as early as the 1870s.

THE DIAL + HANDS

The original white enamel dial features classic slender black Roman numerals, minute markers in the "railroad" style, and additional outer minute markers from 5 to 60 at intervals of 5, also in black. The dial is complex: the large sub-seconds dial is positioned lower than the main dial, and the sub-seconds markers from 10 to 60 are also in black.

This is a highly technological dial with a characteristic "Vacheron" feature: the soldered feet of the dial have internal threads for mounting screws. The enamel is without cracks, spiderwebbing, or restorations, but there is a minor chip at the edge of the dial around four o'clock.

The hour and minute hands are in gold and of the "Poires Stuart" (Stuart Pears) style.

The characteristics typical for Patek, Philippe & Cie calibers include the form of the balance bridge, the construction of the regulator, the overlay of the jewel, as well as the method of attaching the hairspring to the balance bridge: a flat, straight balance bridge (1) with a protrusion for securing the hairspring stud in a characteristic oval shape at "3 o'clock", a Bosley regulator (2) with two setting pins for the Breguet hairspring in the "12 o'clock" position (3), an overlay for attaching the upper jewel of the balance staff (4), and a hairspring stud seated in a slot with a polished steel overlay secured by two screws (5).

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the presented mechanism, placed in a new wristwatch case after servicing, will gain a second life and continue to bring joy to its owner for many more years. After 120 years since its first creation, there will be a kind of reincarnation of this timepiece, a masterpiece of horological art from a renowned and respected manufacture, now reborn as a qualitatively new timekeeping instrument!