REPAIR & SERVICE
Vacheron Constantin Perpetual Calendar
Gray & Sons Jewelers, located in Miami Beach, Florida is an independent watch service center, repairing Vacheron Constantin Perpetual Calendar watches since 1980.
Vacheron Constantin Perpetual Calendar Setting Instructions
Vacheron Constantin Repair Services
Full Watch Repair and Service on a Vacheron Constantin Watch
In January 2019 our client sent us his skeletonized Vacheron Constantin perpetual calendar watch that was completely damaged; the owner dropped the watch and the sapphire glass shattered all over the movement. Normally we are able to fix these watches in house, but in this case some individual movement pieces that broke were made of thin glass called SEPARATOR PLATES inside the skeletonized movement; only Vacheron and Constantin could take this watch repair and restore to its like new condition. We had a representative of Gray and Sons Jewelers, actually the owner's wife, personally take the watch to Geneva Switzerland and drop it off at the Vacheron Constantin factory for the customer.
In the beginning of April – VACHERON CONSTANTIN SERVICE CENTER reached out to us and informed us the watch was complete and could be picked up. Within a few weeks we arranged for the watch to be picked up in Geneva and brought back to our store in Miami, Florida. The watch looked amazing, but with a second glance we were surprised the watch day, date, moon phase, month and leap year indicator of the calendar was completely out of sync!
We reached out to Vacheron & Constantin and they immediately apologized and said they were embarrassed by it. They suggested taking the watch to a Vacheron Constantin boutique in Miami to have it synced and setup. I would like to point out that Geneva charged us over $7,000 for this repair, not including the cost we had to pay for insurance and transportation going to and from Geneva. Yet the perpetual calendar was set for the completely wrong year; completely wrong day, date, phase of the moon and month which made absolutely no sense. Of course we could understand the day and date being off a little because of the time it took to ship back to us, except that all the indicators were out of sync and not lined up where we could manually advance the calendar to the correct settings.
As soon as we received the watch it went to our in house repair department into Quality Control at Gray and Sons Jewelers. Our Swiss trained watchmakers then made sure the watch was properly lubricated, and was at least keeping the correct time. We also checked the automatic system to make sure that the watch would wind properly by simulating the movement of the hand and see if it would continue running for 36 to 42 hours since it had been factory repaired. Indeed the watch did run very well within the specs of a factory refurbishing. The company in Geneva sent us instructions on setting the perpetual calendar, moon phase and leap year to properly synchronize everything here at Gray and Sons Jewelers. These instructions, COURTESY OF VACHERON CONSTANTIN GENEVA, are now attached here so that if ever anyone else needs this information and is left with the watch coming from the factory not properly set, can use it and be able to get peace of mind to properly set their watch knowing these are the instructions courtesy of Vacheron and Constantin. We followed the instructions step by step and were successful in setting the calendar, moon phase, and the leap year. Once set, we tested it, and the watch stayed perfectly on time and synchronized.
We now have mailed the watch back to another happy customer. It was amazing though that Geneva Switzerland one of the top watch houses in the world, would send the watch back after a full service without it being properly set on time, date, moon phase, month and leap year. Luckily, the instructions sent to us by Vacheron were straightforward and rather simple to follow so that you could push the right buttons and use the right crown settings to adjust and set the watch properly so this had a happy ending.
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Vacheron Constantin Perpetual Calendar not set on the right time, date, month, and leap year?
Should you have any trouble setting your Vacheron and Constantin or any other perpetual calendar such as your Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar or Patek Philippe Perpetual calendar watch; simply contact or visit Gray and Sons Jewelers where we have master watchmakers that are able to assist you. Our watchmakers have been SWISS trained and are specialist ON setting and repairing complicated watches like Vacheron & Constantin, Jaeger Lecoultre, A Lange and Sohne, Audemars Piguet, and many more perpetual calendar watches. Our watchmakers can usually set a calendar within a few days or a couple of weeks and in many times even while you wait in our showroom which is right across the Bal Harbour Shops in Miami Beach.
These fine Swiss Perpetual Calendar watches can be quite difficult to properly set at times and you should always see a specialist before trying to do it without any instructions. Some watch brands like IWC; if you advance your calendar beyond the year, it will require a manual re-setting. This means that the hands on the dial have to come off and the gears have to be moved by a master watchmaker and properly synchronize them. This is why some companies might take a couple of hours, weeks, and sometimes months to get them set. Which is why your should always try to have a professional watchmaker that is familiar with the gears and mathematics of your watch properly align and set the full calendar, moon phase and leap year. If you need help setting your Vacheron & Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe perpetual calendar request an Easy Ship Box Here, and we will be more than happy to get your watch back on time, date, month, and moon phase.
Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger LeCoultre Perpetual Calendar Setting Instructions
- Hour Hand
- Minute Hand
- Date Hand (calendar)
- Day of the week hand
- Month and leap year hand
- Phase of the moon
- Winding and time-setting crown
- Day of the week corrector
- Date, day and month corrector
- Month and year corrector pushpiece
- Phase of the moon corrector pushpiece
- Corrector pen
Winding and Time setting: The Winding and time-setting crown (I) can be placed in two positions A and B.
A: Pushed down against the case, winding position. This is the normal position when the watch is being worn and guarantees the best water-resistance. If the watch has not been worn for some time, wind it by rotating the winding and time-setting crown (I) through several turns. It is unnecessary to fully wind a watch that is going to be worn. The winding crown (I) will not be locked at the end of the winding cycle; the mechanism therefore cannot be damaged.
B: Time setting position. When pulled out to this position, the winding and time-setting crown (I) enables the time to be set. Turn the winding and time-setting crown to set the hands to the required time. Then push the winding and time-setting crown (I) back to position (A).
NOTE: If the time is being set in the afternoon, the hour hand (1) must have completed more than one full revolution since the last day and date change (hands 3 and 4) to ensure that the date changes at midnight.
How to set a Vacheron Constantin or Jaeger Le-Coultre perpetual calendar watch
Full adjustment of the perpetual calendar
If the watch has been stopped for longer you will have to adjust all indications one by one, firstly with indications corresponding to the day before that on which you set the time.
IMPORTANT: Do not set the date by pressing the day, month or date correctors (II, III, and IV) between 6pm and 10am.
Correct the date by pressing the date, day and month corrector (III) using the corrector pen (VI) supplied with the watch. Pressing the corrector pushpiece causes the date (3) and the day (4) to advance. Changeover from the end of the month to the first of the month (5) to change. Set the date to yesterday. All indications except the phase of the moon should now correspond to the previous day. If this is the case, go to the "setting the phases of the moon" section, otherwise carry out the remaining adjustments.
Correcting the day of the week (4): Correct the day of the week by pressing the day corrector (II) using the corrector pen (VI) supplied with the watch. Each time the corrector is pressed the indicator (4) advances by one day.
Correcting the month and the year (5): Correct the month and the year by pressing the month and year corrector pushpiece (IV) using the corrector pen (VI) supplied with the watch. Leap years are indicated by a red transfer or a sub dial divided into four sections: 1st year, 2nd year, 3rd year, and Leap Year. Each time the corrector is pressed the display advances by one month. If the adjustment is being carried out on the first of the month, display previous month.
NOTE: If for any reason your self-winding Perpetual Calendar loses its settings entirely, or if you are unsure of carrying out the adjustments correctly or fear that something may be amiss, do not hesitate at any time to approach an authorized Vacheron Constantin agent or contact Vacheron Constantin in Geneva to receive assistance and advice.
Finalizing the setting
Pull out the winding and time-setting crown (I) to position (B) then advance the hands until the correct date and time indications are displayed. Then push the winding and time-setting crown (I) back to position (A).
Setting the phases of the moon
IMPORTANT: Do not set the phase of the moon by pressing the corrector (V) between 6pm and 10am. Correct the phase of the moon by pressing the phase of the moon corrector pushpiece (V) using the corrector pen (VI) supplied with the watch. each time the corrector is pressed the moon disc advances by one day. To position the moon correctly, look on a calendar to find the date of the last new moon (indicated on calendars by a black or greyed-out full circle) and the number of days that have elapsed since. Then position the moon indicator so that the 2 gilded discs representing the moon are hidden. Next, press the corrector pushpiece (V) the same number of times as the number of days that have elapsed since the last new moon.
Water Resistance
Observed by GrayandSons.com
NOTE: Most perpetual calendars are not water-resistant; practical watches for sports or water exposure.
Gray & Sons’ world-renowned pre-owned watch repair center is also experienced with other Swiss luxury watch brands such as Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Omega, Breitling, Panerai, Cartier, IWC and more.
#1 Vacheron & Constantin Perpetual Calendar watch repair center
Request pre-labeled Easy Ship Box and mail in your item to repair.
Request an Easy Ship Box
Once you receive the box and send your watch, one of our Master Watchmakers will evaluate it and contact you with a free estimate. If you approve of the estimate we will proceed with the repair, which generally takes 2-3 weeks.
If you wish to repair at a different time we will ship the watch back to you at no cost to you.
OUR EXPERIENCE
OVER 150 YEARS OF COMBINED WATCHMAKING AND JEWELRY/CASE AND BRACELET REPAIR EXPERIENCE!
How to Repair Your Watch with Gray & Sons Jewelers
We offer our watch repair services locally in South Florida (Miami, Miami Beach, Surfside, Bal Harbour, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach), nationally as well as internationally with our Easy Ship Box Option.
Local Repairs
Come visit our showroom and let us evaluate your watch. Our Master-trained watchmakers are among the best in the United States and we just happen to be located on Miami Beach. We will provide you an estimate before beginning any work.
National Repairs
To accommodate customers across the United States who complete repairs with us, we devised the Easy Ship Box as the fastest and most convenient way to send sensitive luxury items. This allows you to receive our state of the art services anywhere in the country, so you never compromise on the care your watch rightfully deserves.