VACHERON & CONSTANTINE. A RARE MEN’S 18K YELLOW GOLD MANUAL WRISTWATCH Model: Ultra fine Date: Circa 1970’s Movement: Signed, 17-Jewels, Cal. 1003, adjusted to heat and cold, isochronism, and 5 positions, Swiss, No. 634215 Dial: Signed, cream, black Roman numerals, black leaf hands Case: Signed, brushed and polished 18K yellow gold, snap on back, No. 451314 Strap: Signed, brown leather, signed 18K yellow gold buckle Size: 31mm Between the 1950’s and the 1970’s, many watch brands noticed an increase in demand for thin and ultra-thin watches and so they tried to develop special movements for them. Nevertheless, only few makers succeeded, among them Jaeger-LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron & Constantine and Patek Philippe. In 1952, Vacheron & Constantine launched the slimmest wristwatch ever produced, with a Calibre 1001, just 2.94mm thin. This was a truly incredible achievement, never accomplished before but it wasn’t enough for them. The brand kept on developing and persevered in their goal, and just a few years after, in 1955, they surpassed themselves. Vacheron & Constantine pulverized the previous world record, and managed to reduce the thickness of another 50% less by implementing the new Calibre 1003, which at just 1.64mm thin was by far the thinnest wristwatch movement ever produced. Nowadays, this model is still considered by most watchmakers the finest hand-wound movement ever designed. The Ultra-Fine was considered such a remarkable achievement that in 2018, to celebrate the 60 th anniversary of its release, Vacheron & Constantine re-released the same model as the historical Ultra-Fine 1955 at a price close to £30,000.