Why This Could Be the Most Elegant Designed Watch - Prepare to Be Amazed!

Vacheron & Constantin 1915 quarter repeater, chronograph
Sir Herbert Hambling 1st Baronet
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[@drgnfr]

Those artisans must have taken high pride and joy in executing with such perfection. The joy is still alive and shared among us, the watch enthusiasts. And I could not think of a better guide in communicating this joy, than Kalle!

[@ericreither3666]

Brilliant watch in every respect. I struggle to comprehend how something could have been produced with such fine tolerances over 100 years ago. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@morgansinner]

My goodness, absolutely beautiful works ! Just to think of the time the master-craftsman spent with each part. For instance, the hair springs! Amazing. I would love seeing it being assembled, that would be a joy watching...seeing each piece fall into place. And exactly, this accomplishment without the advantage of a computer or CAD to work out weigh,scope, etc...mind blowing. All in 1915 and by hand. Thank you for sharing this beauty with us. Russ

[@Frans_Thijssen]

What an Amazing view inside this beautifull Watch. Thanks for explaining every step.

[@jimacker5280]

Insane. Such hand made excellence and outwardly so simple.

[@ChronoglideWatchmaking]

Couldn't agree more!

[@Van_Der_Lay_Industries]

Absolutely exquisite. As you said, to be able achieve this level of perfection with the technology available at the time is mind boggling. Inspirational!

[@skidmarksnm]

Absolutely stunning watch and a fabulous video thank you

[@RatFink100]

Absolutely fascinating how it all parts complemented each other and worked with such elegance. Thank you for showing it.

[@SOPHIAFLYGIRL]

Every time I’m exposed to a new piece, I’m utterly amazed by the beautiful work of the time period. My new profession has so many aspects, avenues, directions. One could literally spend an entire lifetime learning, that’s exactly what I intend to do ❤❤❤

[@jeff11oo]

go for it sophia we cant let these skills fall by the wayside see you tuesday

[@SOPHIAFLYGIRL]

@jeff11oo Hi Jeff, thanks for the encouragement. One thing I find important in Horology is transmitting knowledge between generations. Kalle is DEFINITELY a major contributor and forums like this connect like-minded people around the world. What a great time to be in Watchmaking 💜🩵💜

[@steve1811uk]

Just beautiful and hard to understand how that could be produced in 1915. Pure craftsmanship in every way.

[@jeff11oo]

true craftsmanship we dont make things like this anymore what a shame cheers kalle

[@austin73]

Sure we do. And just like back then, you will pay a small fortune for it. I offer A. Lange & Sohne as exhibit A.

[@jeff11oo]

@@austin73 ooch that hurt but ok so true

[@hectorserna595]

As a wannabe mechanic I find it absolutely amazing😮

[@ernien79]

Thanks for another great video. You have a great way of explaining these complex movements in a comprehensible way👍

[@gioc4596]

Kalle also love this type of videos, so educational and interesting having an expert show us these beautiful pieces of art.

[@GailitisPrintmaking]

Thank you for the absolutely beautiful video! Not only the watch but also your commentary and the added value it gives. As a printmaker and engraver, I might have an answer to the part of the engraving enigma. When etching the metal, it must be blocked out with an etching ground. It is usually black, so the person transferring the text (exposing the metal for acid etch) likely didn't see where he/she was placing it. Probably placed it in an area where name and surname are usually placed (in the middle). Also, thank you for zooming in on the engraving. As I am trying to engrave some dials, it is nice to see that their work is not perfect so up close. Thank you!

[@wilkosoft]

An incredible watch! Pretty sure the engraving was done like that to prevent the user’s name being easily polished out. Thanks for sharing!

[@richardkent2200]

Since watching (!) you I have become more interested in the inside of a watch and not the outside. Thank you

[@bfx8185]

Vacheron did not disappoint again as usual.

[@ferguscosgrave7510]

Beautiful

[@Forest-iv5vm]

Jaw dropping beauty, no doubt. I’d think the acid etch is over the chronometer text because the jig to line up the acid etch was made to go under the center line from crown to hinge, and in this high grade watch that place has been taken. The acid that can etch gold, though, is nothing you want to mess with so if the jig works on that spot you stick to that spot. The name still works well enough to prove to a constable that the fine watch held by the pickpocket is, in fact, yours.

[@peteryukhtman4188]

this absolutely amazing incredible pese of artthank you !!!

[@ElderPinto254]

zoiets heb eerder gezien?? .. echt prachtig Kalle !!

[@mikebruegger8654]

That's a top 10 movement for sure....

[@timothygagnon9472]

I'm a machinist and CNC programmer, working with extreme tolerances all the time... I'm shaking my head, LOL...1915? wow, hat's off!!!

[@nielsteyn]

Damn. That is just mind boggling!

[@khronosbest9448]

The geometry and relationship between the " pusher" and the teeth on the minute wheel are nothing less than masterful !

[@allanpullin7435]

Elegant hardly describes this masterpiece Thank you for the education. I am in awe of the craftsmanship which I would not have fully appreciated without your description.

[@waldoroeg9604]

Oh Kalle this is special. For me it’s the most beautiful watch I’ve seen so far on your channel. It would be my grail watch if there were more than one! Stunning craftsmanship. 😍

[@adfpv1153]

So beautiful😍😍 thanks Kalle. 👍👍

[@tomwells1489]

Thank you for sharing that timepiece. It’s a pleasure to see

[@dorkflassbury1164]

Over a hundred years old. What did they even use for lights in the workshop then ? Just breathtaking. Thank you for sharing, Kalle.

[@MegaThucydides]

I'm guessing light bulbs, since electric lighting was largely available by the end of the 19th century

[@FrancaOud]

A Masterpiece and when you see the watch in real time, you can't stop watching. Glad that I could, thanks for sharing...

[@johnnyarsenault9124]

Elegance thru in, thruout ! 👌❤️👍😍

[@keithwilliams9213]

I am always amazed at the level of metal work and finishing they were able to achieve with written engineering calculations (had the slide rule even been invented yet?), hand tools and mostly oil or candle light, as electric bulbs were not as common or powerful. Looking through hand polished loops at hand polished parts, likely following design instructions written in cursive with a quill.They were literally creating the precision we take for granted in our modern world.

[@mrbrisvegas2]

Watchmaking was already highly mechanised by the mid 1800s. In 1915 watch parts were made by machines and assembled on production lines in factories illuminated with electric lights. No candles. No hand written calculations. Very few hand tools.

[@drevill7827]

I did enjoy it!!…thank you…👍😁… the only thing I could think as to why the acid etching was done over the chronometer is maybe the etcher used dark wax and was near sighted and didn’t see the etching when he was removing the name from the wax before he applied the acid… and maybe the customer who had it engraved was in a hurry to pick it up because he didn’t have time to have it polished out and redone… it was marked with the name and that was good enough???… or maybe he had a good laugh and it was a neat story of a near sighted engraver??.. who knows.. but how interesting to speculate..😜… very beautiful nonetheless and a piece of artwork of engineering as well as to the eye… how does it feel to have history in your hand Kalle?? (Not to mention work on!) … I’m so glad you’ve shared your experiences with rare timepieces with us!!…thank you sir!!…👍😉😁

[@chrisjohnson4165]

What a beautiful creation!

[@WatchRestorationCottage]

Kalle - this was a tremendous treat. How often does one get such an intimate view at such an exquisite watch? I just completed work on a Landeron 48 chronograph, and how can it even compare? Thank you for sharing!

[@SunriseInParadise]

Truly remarkable, thank you for this video. How did they get the writing, text to be so small? How did they make the parts so small? Truly amazingly craftsmanship.

[@bachgenb]

Thanks - I was mesmerised - your "guided tour" was brilliant and really helped me to appreciate this masterpiece of a watch. Are there many watchmakers today who could reproduce this?

[@bolgerguide]

The transition from pocket watch to wrist watch is called progress. Everyone thinks pocket watches were simple pocket clocks but in reality some of them are stunningly beautiful and accurate. I own one from 1888 and it still boggles my mind how much hand work was put into these watches compared to a modern watch.

[@azazello777]

amazing watch, thanks for sharing this unique piece with us! BTW is there tentative date when your book will be ready for print Kalle? 😊

[@QMac-i6h]

Beautiful 😍 0:56

[@kaichengzhang761]

I almost bid this watch, never thought could watch it here

[@Erwinhooi]

Absolute masterpiece! The one thing that would irritate me the most is the second hand of the chronograph not being at 60, but this is just me nitpicking🤣🤣🤣

[@anibaluriarte3676]

those days guys were doing that nowadays we have content creators and influencers

[@drgnfr]

I was also thinking that this is the culmination of a 200-year-old art of pocket watchmaking. About 10 years later, the industry would turn to wrist watches, leaving pocket watches behind.

[@SlickWillyTFCF]

Such an incredible watch. I found the auction listing. I can't believe it sold for less than $5,000 with buyers premium.

[@Louen_Leoncoeur]

Yeess... I think it should be more than 20.000...

[@SlickWillyTFCF]

@@Louen_Leoncoeur That's what I was expecting! I know pocket watches are much more affordable because they are out of fashion, but for a watch so meticulously made you would expect a five figure price tag.

[@boydsargeant7496]

Beautiful, clever, amazing! I’d love to know how they design a chronometer so that the minute wheel ticks one tooth exactly at the 1 minute time? All those curves etc the smoothness you explained and 1 minute exactly, how?

[@keithkkleber77]

Hi new to the channel and truly enjoying it. Just stating to polish watches for my self and loved your videos. Just have a question if possible. No one ever tells you the speed of the wheels when polishing. Does it matter?

[@arts.4014]

Are you servicing this watch?

[@mhi7079]

Beautifull

[@ChrisCanuk]

Saving money for a VC😇💪🏼

[@domi7171]

Hy Calle, fantastic watch, great video. For me, I would love to see the front in the same detail, …the material and so on. Maybe an idea for e video, I would be so happy that I would be ready even to donate you 😅👌

[@erikzijlstra8007]

It is possible that the Sir Herbert Hambling inscription was created first. I am curious about the technique used to apply the acid so beautifuly on top of a engraving. In my opinion, the chronometer inscription is poorly executed. The acid penetrated the gold so deeply that it remains visible within the letters after engraving. These are just some thoughts. Thank you for sharing the video. Really enjoyed it. Cheers Erik

[@clivejameson9033]

Hey Kalle, beautiful piece! How are the rings actually made? I have a sandoz repeater chronograph with one gong broken and would love to repair it...

[@j1d7s]

Thank you for your enthusiastic presentation of such a beautiful movement. I would not given a pocket watch much of a second thought, well, it's a Vacheron Constantin, so maybe in this case I would have. It just looks so unassuming from the outside. What is the diameter of the watch?

[@hrachiag]

Dear @Kalle, that watch does have a „Schwanenhals“ for fine tuning of the watch but I doubt that they had a Witschi and specially no Weishi time grapher back in 1915. how did they use the swan neck back then properly? Thank you

[@steve1811uk]

I would be scared to look at it let alone touch it with all those delicate unobtainable parts in there 😂

[@2012JHL]

Geweldig!! 1915! Unbelievable!

[@StephanJPPL]

How in the world do you make a center chronograph wheel like this??? It would have been incredibly interesting to see how it is produced

[@wilkosoft]

Also… very hard to appreciate seiko movements after that!

[@Louen_Leoncoeur]

8 adjustment for a pocket watch...? 😮 they should be isochronism, temperature and 6 positions... 😱😱

[@anthonycaryl1079]

A direct copy of his signature transferred onto the watch case and it needed to be there to fit because of it's length erhaps?

[@CarlAshcroft-mb9pp]

Kalle, what is it worth? I want one. (I will have to sell my soul.)

[@AmandaGelien-gd8kd]

That HURT they were master watchmakers an I am am a rank amateur at best.

[@SideWalkAstronomyNetherlands]

:)

[@davidweinberg7833]

Sexy time...

[@Rauz11]

Why “Chronometer” is made so ugly?

[@cgnicolis]

After staring at the otherworldly design and artisanship of this movement I feel the most reasonable thing for me to do is put away my screwdrivers and tweezers and go back to digging holes in the yard.

[@richardkent2200]

Don’t shave your beard or we’ll have no reference on size!

[@PietroCozziTinin]

Is the watch for sale Kalle?