Hong Kong, Nov 25, 2022
LOT 60
BOVET FRÈRES & CO. S.A.
CHRONOGRAPH, PATENTED “SINGLE” SPLIT-SECONDS WITH ONE HAND, MINUTE COUNTER, SILVER DIAL, CALIBRE VALJOUX 84; “MONO-RATTRAPANTE”, SO-CALLED “BIG LOGO” AND “SPILLMANN CASE”; STAINLESS STEEL
HKD 56,000 - 112,000
EUR 7,200 - 14,300 / CHF 7,000 - 14,000 / USD 7,100 - 14,200
Stainless steel, manual-winding, “tonneau”-shaped, gentleman’s wristwatch, water-resistant with screwed case-back, silver colour dial with suspended luminescent Arabic numerals, silver colour auxiliary dials, subsidiary seconds at 9 and three horological complications:
· 1/5 second chronograph (activated by the single round-shaped push-piece located on the case-band at 2 o’clock)
· “Mono-rattrapante”, a kind of patented “single” split-seconds acting on the unique chronograph-hand (activated by the round-shaped push-piece located on the case-band at 4 o’clock)
· Half-instantaneous 30-minute counter (subsidiary dial at 3 o’clock)
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: AAA |
Excellent |
Brand Bovet, Fleurier (Val-de-Travers)
Model “Mono-Rattrapante”
Year circa 1940-1950
Movement No. unnumbered
Case No. 3 421 (by C.R. Spillmann S.A, Chêne-Bourg, Geneva)
Material stainless steel
Bracelet black leather strap
Buckle stainless steel buckle
Diameter 36.3 mm. (bezel)
Caliber 14’’’, with patented device (based on Valjoux 84 ebauche by Raymond Frères, Les Bioux, Vallée de Joux)
Dimensions 44.8 x 37.3 mm.
Weight 53.1 gr. (approx.)
Signature dial
Accessories copy of the invention patent
Notes
Movement based on the Swiss invention patent No. 185 465, delivered on July 31, 1936 (application filed on July 30, 1935), to Charles Jeanneret-Bovet, Fleurier (Val-de-Travers), for a “Chronographe” (Chronograph).
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Bovet, “Mono-Rattrapante”, patented “single” split-seconds with one hand
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Bovet, “Mono-Rattrapante”, patented “single” split-seconds with one hand
It was in 1935 that Bovet Frères & Co. created and patented a “mono-rattrapante” chronograph system that acted similarly to a split-seconds mechanism. This chronograph movement with a single hand is elaborated by Bovet on the Valjoux 14’’’ calibre 84.
This particular wristwatch features the three normal functions of any single-button chronograph, activated through the push-piece at 2, enabling the chronograph hand to: “start” / “stop” / “return to zero”.
In addition, there are two further functions activated through the push-piece at 4:
1) By depressing the push-piece, the single chronograph hand stops.
2) By releasing the push-piece, within a maximum time of 60 seconds, the hand jumps forward, catching-up the seconds elapsed in the meantime.
Two versions of this wristwatch exist:
· The first, features a round, flat push-piece at 2 and an olive-shaped push-piece at 4.
· The second version has either a square or a round water-resistant push-piece at 2 and at 4.
Bibliography
· Lang, Gerd-R., & Meis, Reinhard, Chronograph Wristwatches, To Stop time, Atglen, PA, 1993, Editions Schiffer Publishing Ltd., pp. 21, 50-51, 180-181 (ill. 337-338) and 238.