Important Collectors' Wristwtches, Po...
New York, Sep 26, 2007
LOT 332
"Skeletonized Minute Repeater" International Watch Co., Schaffhausen, "Portuguese - Skeletonized Minute Repeater?, No. 17/50, Ref. 5241. Made in a limited edition of 50 pieces circa 2006. Very fine and rare, oversized, skeletonized, minute-repeating, 18K pink gold wristwatch with an 18K pink gold IWC deployant clasp. Accompanied by the original wooden box, certificate, and spare leather strap.
USD 35,000 - 45,000
EUR 26,000 - 33,000
Sold: USD 59,000
C. Three-body, solid, polished and brushed, transparent case back, concave bezel and lugs, sapphire crystals. D. Skeletonized with outer minute track on a plain reserve. Pink gold "feuille" hands. M. Cal. 16 1/2 ''', skeletonized, rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 54 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to 5 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, repeating on gongs by activating slide on the band. Case and movement signed. Diam. 43 mm. Thickness 12 mm. From the collection of a West Coast Gentleman
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: AAA |
Excellent |
Case: 2 |
Very good |
Movement: 1 |
As new |
Dial: 1-01 |
As new HANDS Original |
Notes
A minute repeating watch tells the time both visually and audibly. A slide on the side of the case, usually near the 9, will activate two hammers in the movement. These hammers strike two gongs curled within the case. First one hammer strikes a gong of lower tonality; it will count out the hours. Then both hammers will strike both gongs alternatively to count out the quarter hours after that hour, and then the second hammer alone striking a gong of higher tonality will count out the minutes after that quarter hour. The repeating mechanism was developed by Daniel Quare. In 1687, he had patented a mechanism that sounded the hours and the quarter hours. The early repeaters used bells. At the end of the 18th century, two bent-wire gongs became the more popular mechanism. In 1892, the first minute repeater wristwatch was produced by Omega, a model with a round-shaped case.