Geneva, May 12, 2024
LOT 386
ALEXANDRE HUNING, SWITZERLAND / GENEVA, EQUATION OF TIME ''MARCHANT'' & SIDEREAL TIME DECK WATCH, NUMBER 557, THE ONLY ONE KNOWN, 18K YELLOW GOLD
CHF 12,000 - 22,000
HKD 104,000 - 192,000 / USD 13,300 - 24,400 / EUR 12,300 - 22,500
Sold: CHF 33,750
A very fine and extremely rare, 18k yellow gold, manual wind keyless deck lever chronometer designed for astronomical navigation, with indications for Equation of Time and Sidereal Time as per Danish patent No. 22822 of 1918. White enamel dial with outer minutes and Equation of Time track with Arabic five minute numerals, subsidiary dials for the hours at 9 with radial Roman numerals, 24-Sidereal time hours dial at 3, seconds at 6. Gold hour, seconds and minute hand with sun terminal, blued steel ''Breguet'' equation hand and ''spade'' 24-hour hand.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: |
|
Case: 3 |
Good |
Movement: 3* |
Good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 2-01 |
Very good HANDS Original |
Brand Alexandre Huning, Switzerland / Geneva
Model Equation of Time ''Marchant'' & Sidereal Time Deck Watch
Year Circa 1920
Movement No. 54959
Diameter 60 mm.
Caliber 20''', frosted gilt, 19 jewels, wolf?s tooth winding, straightline lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometer regulator.
Signature movement numbered 54959
Notes
Equation of time. Indicates the time difference between the true solar day and the mean solar day (or time told by a clock or watch). True solar time and mean solar time coincide four times a year, on April 16, June 14, September 1, and December 25. On these days, the equation will equal zero. During the other 361 days, the equation of time must be used to indicate the difference between the two times, amounting over 16 minutes at certain times of year. The minimum difference occurs on November 1 with a loss of 16 minutes and 23 seconds and the maximum occurs on February 11 with an increase of 14 minutes 20 seconds. This positive and negative value is offset in the time of the local noon and those of sunrise and sunset.
Watches with Equation of Time are extremely rare, especially with this type of Equation of Time display, the equation hand is concentric with the minute hand. As opposed to most watches with equation of time, on which the difference between the mean time and the solar time is only shown on a sector, giving the number of minutes that must be withdrawn or added to the solar time to find the mean time, in this watch, the solar time is permanently shown by the ?Breguet" minute hand which revolves, following or preceding the regular minute hand of the mean time. Most Equation of Time watches were produced in Switzerland and carry the most prestigious of signatures, such as Louis Audemars, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. The hands can be ''coupled'' for setting the Equation of Time and then ''uncoupled'' when set, i.e. set separately or synchronised. If the watch was stopped for a long period of time, it could be quickly and accurately re-set to both times again.
Alexandre Huning Precision watchmaking, founded in Geneva in 1893 and recorded at 15, rue Levrier. The successor of Emile Fiebiger (or Tiebiger), he registered a patent for a device to adjust balance springs in 1907. Won the Geneva Observatory Contest for the best watch in 1905 and 1908. The company was listed as making precision and complicated watches. His registered brands include ''Fides'', ''Fides Genève''.