Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Nov 08, 2015

LOT 203

COURVOISIER - EXCEPTIONAL MINUTE REPEATING GUINAND TYPE 1 TOURBILLON CHRONOMETER WITH INDEPENDENT DEAD SECONDS Courvoisier Frères, La Chaux-de-Fonds, No. 22911, Type 1 carriage by Ernest Guinand. Made circa 1870. Exceptionally fine and probably unique, large and heavy, minute-repeating, two-train, independent dead-center seconds, 18K gold hunting-cased keyless pocket chronometer, with one-minute tourbillon regulator with pivoted detent escapement and amplitude-controlling device.

CHF 70,000 - 90,000

HKD 560,000 - 725,000 / USD 73,000 - 93,000

Sold: CHF 147,750

Five-body, all hinged, "bassine et filets", master mark "PM", engine-turned with polished borders, reeded band, button at 6 in the band for the independent seconds. Hinged gold cuvette engraved with the prize medals for the Expositions Universelles of 1862 and 1867, further glazed gold-rimmed cover over the movement. White enamel, bold radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary sunk seconds. Elaborate pierced blued steel hands. 44 mm.(19 1/2'''), nickel, fausses côtes decoration, twin barrels with differential winding, gold train, Guinand 1 type carriage (Meis classification) with pivoted detent Chronometer escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold screws, Breguet blued steel balance spring with perpendicular stud for preventing excessive amplitudes, index regulator with scale plate, entire train jeweled, repeating on gongs activated by a slide on the band.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-70-01

Very good

ENAMEL AND VARIOUS TYPES OF DECORATION Hairline

HANDS Original

Notes

Dial, cuvette and movement signed, dial, case, cuvette and movement numbered, underside of one hammer punched "Louis Goy". DIAM. 61 mm. This exceptional watch is only the second example known with independent seconds and tourbillon, it is the only publically known example with the addition of minute repeating and is probably unique. The other, without minute repeating, is signed GIRARD-PERREGAUX and was made for the EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE IN 1867, it is also fitted with Guinand's Type1 tourbillon carriage - see: Reinhard Meis, Le Tourbillon, 1990, p. 126-127. ERNEST GUINAND (c. 1810-1879). Was an important Master Horologist from Le Locle, who, along with Auguste Grether from Ponts-de-Martel 1817-1879, specialized in the production of tourbillon carriages. According to the records of the Neuchâtel Observatory, Guinand's production of tourbillons began between 1865 and 1867. He designed three models of Tourbillon carriage, always based on an A-shaped frame. He worked for several important makers, including Girard-Perregaux and Montandon. Most were equipped with a pivoted detent escapement, one with spring detent and some with lever escapement. Most of his carriages were not signed and can only be identified by their characteristic A-shape.