Important Watches, Pocket Watches and...

Noga Hilton Hotel, Nov 13, 2005

LOT 114

?Grand and Petite Sonnerie? Hry. Grandjean & Co, (Le Locle), Swiss, No. 37540. Engraved by Ferrero, Geneva. Made for C. Marcks & Co. Ltd, Bombay and Poona, circa 1890. Extremely fine and rare, grande and petite sonnerie, minute repeating, heavy 18K gold hunting-cased two-train clockwatch.

CHF 50,000 - 70,000

EUR 32,000 - 45,000 / USD 40,000 - 55,000

Sold: CHF 78,200

C. Four-body, "bassine et filets", fully engraved with stylized foliage and geometric patterns. Gold hinged cuvette partially engraved with flowers and foliage over a glazed gold bezel for viewing the movement. D. Frosted and engraved silver with radial Roman numerals on raised cartouches, dot minute markers, subsidiary seconds, finely chased and engraved applied gold foliate border and center. Blued steel "spade" hands. M. 44 mm. (20'''), gilt brass, 31 jewels, two-train, tandem winding, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold timing and temperature adjustment screws, white metal Breguet balance spring, index regulator, repeating and striking on gongs, the repeating via a trip slide in the band, strike/silent and quarters/full strike selection levers in the bezel. Signed on dial and movement by the retailer, Grandjean and Ferrero Trademarks on the case. Diam. 58 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

The case is made by J. Ferrero, a casemaker specializing in richly decorated cases for the Indian market. Marcks & Co. Bombay & Poona was the most prestigious luxury goods store in India. Its major supplier was Henri Grandjean, who made very high quality watches. The company specialized in "Grande Complication" watches, watches with perpetual calendar, independent seconds with diablotine, chronographs, repeaters, clockwatches, and tourbillons. Their watch cases were usually highly decorated, often with enamels, and precious and semi-precious stones. Henry Grandjean Along with Constant Girard (later Girard-Perregaux), Henry Grandjean early entered the South American Market. Along with Ulysse Nardin, he was one of the first to establish a marine chronometer manufacturing business in Switzerland and was an initiator of the Neuchâtel Observatory. At the 1851 London Universal Exhibition, Grandjean won a First Class medal. His list of medals continues until 1868, when the company won an award for marine chronometers. They received at least 8 further awards, not including several from the Observatory of Neuchâtel. Though Henry died in 1879, it appears that the company continued on until 1899, when Rossel & Fils registered their name as successors. On January 9, 1908 Rossel & Fils transferred the title to Charles- Ferdinand Perret. ?Dictionnaire des horlogers genevois?, Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum Editions, Geneva, 1998.