It is on very rare occasions that a prototype of this magnitude from one of the world’s most prestigious manufactures graces the auction market. The Saltarello is a timepiece that defined the 1990s for Vacheron Constantin who was then testing retrograde displays (something of a rarity at the time) and the present prototype has its own story to tell.
Offered by the watchmaker who developed the Saltarello the present prototype displays a cavalcade of details not found on the production piece.

The development for the watch started in 1994 with the present prototype being finalised in 1995/1996. While Vacheron Constantin had previously made watches featuring jumping hours and retrograde minutes, this was the company’s first successful combination of the two in a single wristwatch.

The movement is based on the ultra-thin automatic caliber 1120/2, the jump hour mechanism features a “brake system” based on a minute repeater gong to cushion the return of the minutes hand. This system was abandoned on the production pieces. The hand guilloché dial is also quite different from the regular production pieces as the applied gold numerals have hand polished rounded tops whereas regular production pieces were flat. However, the most visible difference is the opening at the bottom of the dial enabling an open view on the retrograde minute wheel.

By turning the watch over one can admire the skeletonised and hand engraved rotor, which is this case is engraved also on the back – once again something different from the production version.
The present prototype was first cased in a gold plated case engraved Test N°1 on the caseback and between the lugs. In 2000 Vacheron Constantin made an 18k yellow gold case specially for the watch engraved Pièce Unique.

The Saltarello was officially launched in 1998 and made in 100 pieces in yellow gold and 200 pieces in pink and white gold each.