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Hotel Nogalhilton Geneve, Nov 11, 2001

LOT 128

Timekeeper with 10 ComplicationsSir John Bennett, Ltd, Makers to the Late Queen Victoria, 65 Cheapside, London, hallmarked 1909-10, movement by Audemars Piguet, No. 12679.Exceptionally fine and very rare solid 18K gold, hunting-cased, keyless double-train astronomical grande et petite sonnerie clockwatch, with perpetual calendar, minute-repeating and phases of the moon, chronograph and 60-minute register.

CHF 240,000 - 300,000

USD 150,000 - 190,000

C. Four-body, "bassine", solid, polished, made by Frederick Thoms, gold hinged cuvette, five-piece hinges, swivel pendant. D. Off-white enamel, made and signed by Willis, radial Roman numerals, outer minute/seconds divisions with five-minute/seconds Arabic markers, four subsidiary sunk dials for days of the week, date, months of the leap year cycle concentric with minute register and subsidiary seconds with phases of the moon aperture, phases of the moon enameled on solid gold wheel, setting levrs protruding from under the bezel, snap-on fit with silver ring. Blued steel "spade" hands. M. 44,7 mm (20'''), frosted gilt brass, three-quarter plate, 37 jewels, lateral calibrated lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold temperature adjustment and mean time screws, blued steel Breguet balance spring, clockwatch and going trains driven by two going barrels with tandem winding, visible chronograph work, beautifully finished and black polished, set on the back plate, striing and repeating on double gong, repeating activation by tripping small bolt on the band at IV o'clock, grande/petite sonnerie lever at VII o'clock, strike/silent lever at XII o'clock protruding from the bezel, chronograph push-piece at XII o'clock on the band.Signed on dial and movement, case stamped "AT".Diam. 62 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

This watch is a magnificent example of the best Swiss work on a movement of the highest standards in the English style. The best craftsmen of both countries were employed; Audemars Piguet, in Switzerland, supplied the unfinished movement, and Willis, and Thoms in England, furnished the superb dial and case.There is only one other watch like this one known. It also carries the signature of by Sir Bennett with a movement supplied by Audemars Piguet, No. 12835, and was chosen to illustrate Audemars Piguet's achievements in "Audemars Piguet", by Gisbert L. Brunner, Christian Pfeiffer-Belli and Martin K. Wehrli, Le Brassus, 1993, p. 161.