Important Collectors Wristwatches, Po...

Geneva, Nov 14, 2009

LOT 139

Platinum Split-Seconds ? The First at Auction Cartier, Paris, No. 9457/ 5830. Made circa 1922. Very fine and extremely rare, platinum dress watch with split-seconds chronograph and progressive 30-minute register, one of only two known examples of this model in platinum. Accompanied by a Cartier box.

CHF 25,000 - 35,000

USD 25,000 - 35,000 / EUR 17,000 - 25,000

Sold: CHF 60,000

C. Three-body, polished, curved inclined bezel, coin-edge band, reeded bow, button between 10 and 11 for the splitseconds, button in the crown for start/stop of the chronograph. D. Matte silver with champleve dauphine numerals, outer minute track with Arabic five-minute numerals, outermost fifths of a second divisions, subsidiary dials for the seconds and the progressive 30-minute register. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. 18???, frosted gilt, 23 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring with overcoil, index regulator, visible steel chronograph work. Dial signed, case numbered. Diam. 49 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-6-01

Good

Slightly oxidized

HANDS Original

Notes

The present watch would appear to be the first platinum split-seconds chronograph pocket watch by Cartier without additional complication to be offered at auction and one of only two examples known to date. The other is illustrated in: Le Temps de Cartier, Barracca, Negretti & Nencini, 1989, p. 326. Split-seconds dress watches by Cartier are extremely rare and were made in very small numbers in the early 1920's. The movements were made either by the European Watch & Clock Co. or by Audemars Piguet, who also made another much later series of such watches for Cartier in the 1950's.