109th Auction
2023/11/18
Lot 151
Vacheron ConstantinMercator 2000
An extremely rare and exceptional Geneva wristwatch with double retrograde time display and champlevé enamel dial, depicting a map of Germany and its neighbouring countries from 1554, produced as part of a special edition of only 20 pieces - full set with original box, guarantee, certificate of the Bureau de Contrôle Facultatif des Montres de Genève, operating instructions, booklet and sales receipt
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The glazed snap off back reveals the automatic movement with its 21 K gold rotor and the engraved inscription "Mercator 2000". The remarkable enamel dial shows a multi-coloured Champlevé map of Germany and its neighbours in 1554. Two retrograde sectors and two hands in the form of an authentic pair of navigation dividers indicate the hours and minutes. The pair of hands recalls the eponymous Belgian cartographer and humanist Gerhardus Mercator (1512-1594), who during Renaissance devised a map of Earth that still holds today.
Gerhard (Gerardus) Mercator (born March 5, 1512 in Rupelmonde, County of Flanders, died December 2, 1594 in Duisburg, United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg) was a geographer and cartographer who was known as the Ptolemy of his time - his reputation travelled as far as the Arab-Muslim parts of the world. His real name was Gerard de Kremer (Latinized Gerardus Mercator, in German also Gerhard Krämer).
Source: wikipedia.org