Vacheron Constantin Mercator, 43050, Platinum

The Vacheron Constantin Mercator 43050 was first added to the catalogues in 1994 to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Gerardus Mercator, a pioneering 16th century geographer and cartographer. He is credited with inventing the map projection which evolved into the world maps we use today. Produced over a 10-year period, it is understood that only 638 examples left the manufacture.

When it was first introduced, the Mercator 43050 was a rare example of a watch that paired classical styling with an unconventional time display, depicting the minutes and hours across just about a third of the dial. In this example, the 36mm platinum case is paired with retrograde minutes and hours hands, mounted co-axially, visually reminiscent of a divider used to determine distances between two points on a map. The one on the left indicates the hour on a 12-hour scale arranged on an arc; the minutes hand, on the right, glides across a similar 12-point scale, graduated into 60 minutes. The minute hand moves across the scale once an hour, jumping back to 0 at the top of every hour. The hour hand makes a similar journey, moving across the scale twice a day. It brings intrigue and novelty to the process of reading time, building anticipation to see the retrograde hands jump. Equally, the shorter scale across which the passage of the hours and minutes is displayed makes this an easier layout from which to read the time.  

The dial features a map depicting Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, in the style of Mercator projections that the cartographer pioneered in the 16th century. It features the outlines of the continents filled out with representation of relief features, such as mountains, done in black enamel by accomplished enamellers Jean and Lucie Genbrugge. In fact, it was Jean, also a watchmaker, who initially conceived of the Mercator. A small signature underneath the minutes arc credits them with the design, a rare feature for a watch from an established manufacture such as Vacheron Constantin.
The enamelling is replete with many other small details. As is to be expected, all the names of the continents and the oceans that separate them are in Latin, as are features such as the Equator, Tropic of Cancer and the Antarctic Circle. A mystical sea creature appears at 9 o’clock.

The slim, three-part case is classical through and through, typified by a stepped bezel, rounded midcase and coin-edge display caseback. The stepped, straight lugs feature sharp facets and are almost Art Deco in their details. The rim of the caseback, brush-finished, features light engravings detailing the brand mark, reference and serial numbers in an elegant, calligraphic font. Also noted here are the precious metal hallmarks.

Visible through the caseback is the calibre 1120, based on the Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 920. In this iteration, on top of the calibre sits a retrograde module, designed by Genbrugge. The automatic winding rotor, beautifully finished with Côtes de Genève, features a 21-carat gold rim, with calligraphic engravings noting this as a watch that was designed to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Gerardus Mercator’s death.

The watch comes on a black, alligator leather strap with a white gold deployant clasp featuring a half Maltese cross motif.

If sold within the United Kingdom, this Vacheron Constantin Mercator will be subject to 20% VAT

Closer look

Condition

This Vacheron Constantin Mercator 4350P is in very good condition throughout. The case and lugs show superficial marks throughout, consistent with moderate wear over time. The dial, hands, and movement are free from any signs of imperfection, with the hallmarks on the caseback remaining crisp and well defined. The watch also includes a white gold Vacheron Constantin butterfly deployant clasp.

Warranty

The watch comes with a two-year warranty from A Collected Man, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.