'Automatic' Dial 43031 Vacheron Constantin Perpetual Calendar

In 1983, Vacheron Constantin announced to the world their intentions to return to traditional, complicated mechanical watchmaking in the wake of the quartz crisis with the ref. 43031 Perpetual Calendar. Switzerland had been decimated, with watch industry employment falling from 90,000 to 28,000 and the number of dedicated watchmakers employed falling from 1,600 to 600. In the wake of this ravaging, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, and Patek Philippe all refocused and doubled-down on mechanical complication with technical calibres. Between 1978 until 1985, each debuted their own landmark ultra-thin Perpetual Calendar, arguably the most classic Swiss complication. Each was a clear statement of intent: Switzerland was back.

This 43031 comes from a small series of case serials where the word 'Automatic' was printed above Swiss with pride. In a modern watch, that would be unforgivable in my eyes. But as this was one of the thinnest automatic QPs ever in period, we accept it here. It's a bit odd that this signature came and went within a few short years. This was after the first series but before the second (with the applied Maltese Cross). As such, it's often known as a transitional dial and is likely just that. 

There isn't a very significant premium to anything outside guilloché, skeleton, or first series with the doré-like tone in these. But this dial is rather intriguing, purely as a small marker in the evolution of the reference. If this were a 3940, collectors would be going crazy over one word on the dial appearing and then disappearing a year later. But as it's a 43031, few even really noticed the difference. Should it carry a wild premium? Probably not. But is it interesting? To people like us, yes, definitely. 

This example has great engravings and a super sharp case, I agree with our friends here likely untouched. The engravings are sick, the lugs even better. The original subdial hands are still there. The movement was serviced last year at VC. It comes from a well-regarded London retailer.