Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Mar 15, 2015

LOT 346

CALLIER "MONTRE GEOGRAPHIQUE" SINGLE-HAND WORLD-TIME WATCH YELLOW GOLD B. Callier, A Son Filleul Charles Bernard Garnier, Horloger de l'Observatoire, et de la Marine de l'Etat, Paris, "Montre Geographique", No. 23216. Dated 1899. Very fine and extremely rare, 18K yellow gold, keyless, 24-hour World-Time pocket watch with world planisphere enamel dial with longitudes and latitudes, day and night indication and single hand making one revolution in 24-hours. Accompanied by a fascinating collection of hand-written documents by Callier dated 1894, describing his thoughts on technical aspects of watchmaking.

CHF 10,000 - 15,000

HKD 84,000 - 125,000 / USD 10,800 - 16,000

Sold: CHF 21,250

Four-body, "bassine", polished. Hinged gold cuvette. White enamel with radial Roman numerals 1-XII twice for the 24-hours, days in red, nights in black, outer dot minute divisions with five-minute Arabic numerals, center with revolving enamel disc painted with the northern hemisphere. Blued steel single baton hand making one revolution in 24-hours. 19''', frosted gilt, 15 jewels, wolf's tooth winding, straight line calibrated lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with Breguet balance spring, index regulator. Cuvette signed.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

DIAM. 50 mm. The present watch is only the second of Callier's "Montre Geographique" watches to appear at auction and the first example seen with a single hand. See: Antiquorum, Geneva, June 14, 2003, lot 19, sold 48,300 Swiss Francs. Callier was the successor of Winnerl, one of the best French Chronometer makers of the second part of the 19th century. The present watch shows longitude for world cities, latitude drawn on the map, the time at any place on the planet - described by Callier "Donnant les longitudes, les latitudes et heures de tous les points de la terre". The hand is set to the time at the home city, to read the time at any other world city, the longitude line is found and followed to the chapter ring where the corresponding time can be read. An ingenious invention, the planisphere enamel dial being particularly beautiful and detailed..