Short answer
Replicas sold under the name 1735 Grande Complication are cosmetic builds. No replica on the market copies the movement of the Vacheron Constantin original. The subdials sit on a printed dial, and the functions behind them are simple or fake. Treat the name as a style label. It is not a specification.
What the original is
Vacheron Constantin was founded in Geneva in 1755. The 1735 Grande Complication is one of the brand's most complicated wristwatches. Public reports cite 27 complications and a caliber 1755 movement. The number 1735 does not match the founding year, and public sources do not agree on what the number counts. Production ran to a handful of pieces. Auction records list a minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph, perpetual calendar, tourbillon and astronomical displays. Few collectors see one in person.
What replicas contain
- Case: stainless steel, 42 mm to 45 mm in most listings. Plated gold on some.
- Dial: printed subdials, painted moon phase, applied markers on the better builds.
- Movement: Asian automatic or quartz. Chronograph listings cite a 7750 pattern.
- Working functions: date, day, 24-hour hand. Few builds add anything else.
- Weight: 90 g to 140 g on steel cases.
Functions that do not work
Repeater hammers in a replica do not strike. Split-seconds chronograph builds run one hand or bind when both hands start. Perpetual calendar subdials on replica dials run a standard date wheel, and the date needs a manual reset in months with fewer than 31 days. A tourbillon in a sub-$300 build is a balance wheel behind an open aperture. Ask for video of each function before you pay.
Checks before purchase
- Ask for a movement photo. Look for a manufacturer stamp, not a sticker.
- Run the chronograph and compare the two hands after 60 seconds.
- Test the crown at each position. Note any grinding.
- Weigh the watch against the seller's stated figure.
- Get return terms in writing.
Price range
Listings run from $80 to $600. Price tracks the movement and the case finish, not the subdial count. A $500 build with four printed subdials does less than a $250 three-hand watch. Originals come to auction at long intervals. Sale results are public and few.
Legal note for US buyers
US customs law, 19 U.S.C. 1526, allows seizure of counterfeit watches at import. Packages from overseas sellers carry that risk. The rule covers any watch that carries a brand mark without authorization.