A Geneva Seal Vacheron & Constantin... or is it? 😱

[@espiriti]

Hi Stian and fellow followers. Thank you very much for taking such good care of my beautiful movement! It runs like a charm now and the watch is on my wrist while watching your video. It’s a pity that it’s original housing has gone missing, but i still adore this watch the way it is… beautiful in my eyes. Who knows… knows! Your idea with a sapphire case back would be an amazing treat and would make it an even more Franken, but for the sake of seeing the movement… yes please! Thanks, take care and all the best. Alois

[@johnmoorefilm]

❤congratulations--looks fantastic - gives the new Univeral Geneve a run for its money!😅

[@olavl8827]

So, you are the proud owner of this watch! Do you happen to know anything about its history? That would be interesting.

[@dperreno]

I second the idea of putting on a sapphire case back!

[@michaelfonseka7657]

Replacing the case back from that horrible metal caseback to a sapphire case back would just put the finishing touches to this beautiful movement, sad that someone most probably removed this lovely movement from its very fitting Gold case. A great job as usual, and wishing you and your family a very Mery Christmas, and a great and Prosperous New Year to come,😘😂❤🎉🎅🎄🥳

[@espiriti]

@@olavl8827 Yes and No. When i bought this watch i was quite unexperienced in watches! The seller told me that it was in his fathers possession amongst other timepieces. But i saw the movement and i was blinded and in love. I like the case shape, although not original, but still original and in its own way... unique. Nobody else owns a watch in this configuration.

[@petercampbell3828]

The original case was sold for the gold! Beautiful movement.

[@devon2337]

Yeah, probably a scrapped gold case. Scrappers gonna scrap, even if the case was actually worth way more than the gold because of the manufacturer.

[@mikes.2471]

I wonder if CV vintage watches come with silver dial & indexes in a gold case.

[@WristwatchWorkshop]

You're correct of course that the big issue is the honesty with which a frankenwatch is presented and sold. If the purchaser is aware, and is happy anyway, there's no issue. Great work as usual, Stian. Have a fantastic festive period, and I hope you cook to your wife's satisfaction 😁

[@VintageWatchServices]

😂 Thanks so much and merry Christmas to you and yours also!

[@johnvaluk1401]

My guess would be gold scrappers for the missing case. What a beautiful movement

[@giannimotta5823]

The case and hands don't do justice to this amazing movement 🙈

[@MrCrystalcranium]

The case is from a Chinese Vacheron counterfeit. The giveaway is the VC engraving inside the case back. I have “dabbled” in purchasing some of these pieces and I know there’s a tremendous amount of controversy over them in the watchmaker community but I have had some stunning brand replicas that are all but indistinguishable from the genuine article in both looks and performance. The only surprising thing is they chose such a low quality replica case and dial to drop that spectacular movement into.

[@VintageWatchServices]

Very interesting, thanks for the detail!

[@kswaminathan5439]

A real beauty!!! The balance wheel with screws on the rim is definitely eye-catching. The service is impeccable, as usual, by Stian. Enjoyed this video to the fullest.

[@martinlouden9005]

Great video Stian. I would imagine that the original watch case was gold, and was sold perhaps when times were hard!?

[@pghgb5572]

I for one think that an episode showing how you make a display case back for a watch would be interesting.

[@Dyzon300]

Very beautiful simple movement. Love it !

[@borassictime918]

Presumable either the original case was damaged beyond economic repair, or, more likely, some philistine sold the gold case for scrap. Thanks for another super service session Stian - have a great Christmas and all the best for 2025 👍

[@VintageWatchServices]

Thanks and the same to you and yours!

[@LCMNUNES1962]

EXCELENTE SERVIÇO PROFISSIONAL 👍🏻👍🏻 🇧🇷

[@ygrbooks]

Again and again, dear Stian: thank you for sharing your beautiful videos and fascinating insights with us on KZbin - 😊👍👌👏! As several of your followers have already mentioned, the original case was probably scrapped for its value in gold (or even platinum?). The movement does not contain any precious metals. Its value lies in the stupendous work that went into finishing it, which explains why it survived. However, it is in such good condition that it could also be a replacement movement that was never built into a case, was sold as is and then housed in a case that more or less fit it. What is your guess? N.B. Frankenstein's monster is actually a very decent guy who is abused by man"kind" ...

[@brucebarlow6604]

When a completed watch leaves the Arnold Schwarzenegger School of watchmaking which is fairly rare they use the Seal of the Navy Seals. Stian have a great festive season and all the best for the New Year. Regards from New Zealand 🇳🇿

[@VintageWatchServices]

Happy Holidays to you and yours too, Bruce! 🎄☃️🎅

[@paulschumacker9901]

Another outstanding video! My first instinct was that the original case was scrapped for its gold. But a VC watch like this in its original gold case would probably be worth more than just the scrap value of the gold. And if the case was scrapped, why didn’t they keep the original dial and hands? So my guess is that something bad happened to the original case and the dial. Maybe the damaged original was sold to someone who scrapped the damaged parts and found a new case that sort-of accommodated the movement and the ring?

[@chadpyett6441]

Always enjoy your videos and have a merry Christmas

[@VintageWatchServices]

Thanks, you too! 🎉🎅🎄

[@magintysmaw]

Nice work 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@VintageWatchServices]

Thanks! 👍

[@MexicoBeachFloridaLiving]

Nice restoration...Thanks for sharing.

[@singlespeedman]

Thanks!

[@VintageWatchServices]

Thank you!

[@bullnose01]

The black polished tips of the escape wheel is so VC. I assume that some Vandal removed the movement from a gold case to sell the case. Safe and happy holidays to you and the family, Stian.

[@VintageWatchServices]

Thanks, you too! 🎉🎅🎄🎊

[@velviaman3206]

Happy holidays, I have just sold my vintage VC for almost double what aI paid for it thanks to the crazy gold price now. Of course I spent the money on another vintage Zenith. I am wearing the vintage Zenith Captain with the multifaceted indices , which you sold me , as I type this.

[@VintageWatchServices]

Very cool to hear! And Happy holidays 😊

[@AutomotiveEvangelist]

Well, one has to assume that the original (likely) gold case was scrapped for the gold. Perhaps it was damaged beyond repair and didn't make economic sense to the owner to repair correctly. I have a beautiful old watch with a solid 18k gold case that I got for a song at an estate sale. It's got a Venus 175 movement and the dial is branded by a relatively no-name "Hilton" of which I can't find much information, but it seems they imported watches into the US for a while back in the 40s or 50s. The watch is essentially valued at the scrap value of the case, despite being a very nice watch, simply because of the name on the dial, rather than the fact it has genuine Swiss markings on the case and a pretty nice movement. You'd think that somebody would be smarter than to scrap a V&C case, but people do silly things all the time.

[@VintageWatchServices]

Yeah, we'll never know... Could also be the movement was in a watchmaker estate and they couldn't match the case etc.

[@paulpietruszewski4226]

Uninformed owner maybe wanted their case to look new and didn’t know what they were doing to the value. Maybe the dial was over cleaned for the same reason. The movement is in such good shape, it doesn’t look like water damage or something like that.

[@ronaldspencer547]

My Orient Bambino with small seconds looks like it was based on this watch!

[@shanejones7331]

Hello, I was wondering When you adjust for beat error how do you know which way to turn the collet?

[@VintageWatchServices]

You can turn the balance a little bit to see when the pallet fork lines up perfectly, and that will tell you which direction and how much you need to turn the collet.

[@shanejones7331]

@ thank you sir! 😁

[@johnhannon]

A beautiful watch movement! Do you think that people are scrapping the original cases for their gold value and what is left is a nice movement? I see this often with pocket watches. Many pocket watch movements for sale on eBay with no case.

[@VintageWatchServices]

Hi Jack, that might very well be it and I don't know what the reason was for this specific watch. There are of course more possible ones; if for instance the case was badly damaged, it's not long ago since it was very difficult to do something about it so they might sell the movement by itself. Or it could be that the movement was found in a watchmaker's estate and they couldn't match the case etc. Who knows! :)

[@johnhannon]

@@VintageWatchServices Thinking about it now, I would not think that someone would scrap such a valuable watch like the Vacheron & Constantin. Probably the other reasons you mentioned. Most likely the case was damaged or movement was in a estate of a watchmaker. It was nice to see the movement. Much nicer than the old stuff I buy to work on.

[@PWRPWR-q8g]

I donno, I remember in the early '70s we were cutting the gold contacts off of relays. I'll bet a lot of watches lost their cases. Too bad too because I'll bet a good 14K case would bring more than its weight in, well, gold.

[@DutchClawz]

Absolutely. I have this exact movement but without a case. If I got the chance of picking up a new case for it I woulf in an instant.. Now its just laying around in a drawer

[@stupidocanerosa]

There are a lot of people that doesn't have any clue of what a Vacheron is. They see gold, they scrap. The other reason is gold prices. When the gold case has much more value than the watch itself, better sell the gold and the movement separately. Some watch dealers still do it at today to make more money possible.

[@johnmoorefilm]

“It’s not the cost of the tool, it’s the cost of the job you will ruin with a cheap tool”❤

[@VintageWatchServices]

Good quote!

[@SubTroppo]

'Franken' somehow reminds me that some wealthy people in 19th century Russia (even those living in the 'back of beyond') sent their laundry to be done in England(!) How many nowadays send their watches back to Switzerland to be serviced? Perhaps also their humble Seiko too?

[@VintageWatchServices]

Yeah, the soap and water in the UK was clearly much better than that in Russia 😆 Actually quite a few watches get sent back to the manufacturer for service, so if the watch is Swiss it might very well come here

[@SubTroppo]

@@VintageWatchServices Oh yes; while I'm about it, I'm not sure you should go to Provence in the summer: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpvVq5Vtmqprr7csi=FB4UjZfsf29TcSSn&t=16

[@jamesalich6321]

Likely the original case was solid gold. Probably changed out for the value of the gold?

[@stefanfluck]

❤

[@cgnicolis]

the movement is gorgeous, the case tragic.

[@edwardsabo8368]

My guess is the former case was maybe too damaged to try to save so it was replaced.

[@tomthompson7400]

original case would have been 18k and sold for scrap value , the movement left over as it had no scrap value. Probably lay in a pawn shop desk drawer for thirty years or more. I actually think its not a bad recase job at all , certainly better after you trimmed the case ring though.

[@altar7885]

2:22 sorry what did you say? "part of the Holy Trinity with AP and" who?

[@VintageWatchServices]

Patek Philippe

[@DutchClawz]

If anyone knows where to get a case like this I would really like to know! I have a Vacheron 453 movement from a scapped gold watch that I would love to give a second life..

[@tonyaxeman4381]

Perhaps it was originally in a gold case ,sterling silver or coin and was sold to a scrapper .

[@Matty_G]

I noticed in the last few videos that you’ve moved away from only dipping the jewels of the pallet fork into the epilame to tossing the whole pallet fork into the expensive bottle with the other parts that get the treatment.

[@Tape_Recorder]

I like when he never lets us forget that the fixodrop bottle was expensive. 😀

[@VintageWatchServices]

Yep, as long as you clean the pivots afterwards that's probably more efficient

[@Doesnotexisttoyou]

The original case was most likely high karat gold. Probably scrapped for melt value.

[@alfredklek]

I'd say this is sort of a reverse Frankenwatch. I generally think of them as a nice or "nice" dial and case and some cheap, old, dirty, clapped out movement. This is the opposite way around with reletively cheap case and dial and a nice, expensive movement.

[@VintageWatchServices]

Yes, it's like putting a Rolls-Royce engine in a Ford Fiesta 😂

[@alfredklek]

@@VintageWatchServices Exactly! It's more like a "sleeper" watch then.

[@Tape_Recorder]

What’s the difference between Geneva and Geneve? 🤔

[@slacko1971]

An a instead of an e, more seriously Geneve is the French way of spelling it.

[@stupidocanerosa]

TO BE READ WITH A MOVIE TRAILER VOICE AND A VIVID PIANO TRACK. There's a thin red line separating a marriage watch from a frankenwatch, passing through modded watches... the road to vintage watch collecting is bumpy and insidious. But a man, with unparalleled skills and perfect tools will guide you to a world made of dreams and gears, in a journey that will leave you asking yourself "why?". A WATCHMAKER'S LIFE!! SOON ON YOUR SCREENS!!!

[@VintageWatchServices]

😂👍

[@IGS1989]

The lift angle for this caliber is 51 degrees.

[@VintageWatchServices]

Thanks!

[@IGS1989]

@@VintageWatchServices Not a problem! There is an extensive list of lift angles for many watch calibers online. It's not exhaustive though. I could put a link to the website, but I am afraid that KZbin will remove this comment, like it has in the past. I am sure you won't have any difficulty finding it yourself... Thank you so much for your awesome videos, Stian!

[@PWRPWR-q8g]

Did you do your trick with the T end of the mainspring - i.e. leave the T out of the winder and then align it to the slot in the barrel?

[@VintageWatchServices]

No, I couldn't reach the slot with the end outside of the winder, so I put it in and then moved it around with the pin wise. I'll show that in the member version :)

[@PWRPWR-q8g]

@@VintageWatchServices Excellent!

[@MarceloCN]

The only thing that upset me is the hands even i don't know if is original or not, but im ok with frankie like this, give a second life to the beautiful peace. But can not be sold as entirely original.

[@federicoprice2687]

Peace be with you!

[@carloscarvalhido2424]

Hello. I think the original case was made of gold and was scrapped for the money. By the way, Why do you demagnatize the movement in two positions and not only one? Thanks.

[@VintageWatchServices]

The magnetic field is at a 90 degree angle to an electrical current. So when turning the movement 90 degrees after the first demagnetization that should ensure all magnetism is removed.

[@altar7885]

Can't you have a new case cast in gold?

[@VintageWatchServices]

Sure one could have a new case made but it would cost a fortune

[@valengreymoon5623]

No doubt its gold case went missing during its lifetime.

[@natesquestyouknowthatsrigh8269]

Why not replace the case it seems like a no-brainer?

[@VintageWatchServices]

Hello Nate, that might indeed seem like a no-brainer, but that's assuming there are cases readily available which fit the movement. And therein lies the rub. Cases are built for specific movements, and every movement has different measurements. You have the width of the movement, the total height, the distance from the stem to the top, the distance from the stem to the bottom, most often the distance from a little ledge to keep the movement secure in the case to the dial, then there's the question of whether the dial is larger than the movement and thus requiring to be top-loaded into the case or smaller than the movement so it is bottom-loaded etc. The manufacturer also never made spare cases, so there wouldn't be any of those lying around for a 60-70 year old movement. All in all, it is extremely difficult to find an after market case that matches a movement, so much more so that it's really not worth the effort even trying. Having a case made to fit the movement is possible but would cost a whole lot of money.

[@natesquestyouknowthatsrigh8269]

@ thank you for the detailed reply. 👍🏼

[@VintageWatchServices]

@@natesquestyouknowthatsrigh8269 My pleasure :) Happy Holidays!🎅🎊🎄🎉

[@davechandler6884]

Franken watches, the definition makes 90% of watches franken watches, cases from 1 manufacturer, works from another, bought together and given the Rolex name or other if you feel that way !.

[@VintageWatchServices]

Components that were not intended to be together in one watch 😁

[@unfies]

17:31 please don’t ever autofocus. With all the movement in and out of frame and a macro lens - audience would get motion sickness and puke everywhere.

[@johnsrabe]

Any explanation that involves a quirky watchmaker/owner stops at the fake VC dial … If you thought it was fun to put a VC movement in a Seiko, like putting a V8 engine into a Volkswagen bug. If you just used whatever case you had around. If it’s hard to find a case … But the scammer is idiotic. Why put the real movement in a fake watch, instead of doing it the other way around? Stian, I can’t believe your friend was fooled. (The sharp tips of the hour markers don’t even touch the dial!)

[@billsexton5532]

Case scrapped for gold, so many nice watches have been destroyed.

[@HansMeijner]

Dude! You need to clean your movement holder. Check the video at 11:25. ;)

[@VintageWatchServices]

I know! 😆

[@MohammedAli-nu7fs]

😂 i know you are also a watch maker..

[@Eustus2000]

Interesting, the case is counterfeit with incorrect markings. Also, the case seems to be a copy of a true case dating from the 1950's. The movement is a late one, made after 1960. But the movement shows no damage, which would be expected since Vacherons do not seal well. But it is always nice to see the Genève seal.

[@DutchClawz]

Counterfeit case? Thats bullshit. There are zero markings on the case? Its a generic case that happes to fit the Vacheron movement..