Important Watches, Pocket Watches and...

Noga Hilton Hotel, Nov 13, 2005

LOT 50

?Kew ?A? 74.3? Manoah Rhodes & Sons, Ltd, Bradford, Makers to the Admiralty, No. 14994. London hallmarks for 1890. Very fine and rare, 18K gold keyless pocket watch which obtained a Kew ?A? rating with 74.3 marks. Accompanied by a copy of the Kew ?A? certificate.

CHF 5,000 - 7,000

EUR 3,200 - 4,500 / USD 4,500 - 5,500

C. Four-body, ?pomme et filets?, polished, stepped bezel and border, maker's mark JG. Hinged gold cuvette. D. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds. Blued steel ?spade? hands. M. 42 mm., frosted gilt half-plate, going barrel, 15 jewels in screwed chatons, lateral lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring with double overcoil, diamond endstone, index regulator. Dial and movement signed. Diam. 52 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3-7

Good

Oxidized
Movement: 3-35d*

Good
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

Kew Observatory trials Various testing laboratories around the world were responsible for grading and testing watches. The most stringent being the Kew (Teddington) Observatory, just west of London. A standard Swiss chronometer test would last 15 days, however, the Kew test lasted 44 days. The tests consisted of observing the time keeping of the watch in various positions and at various temperatures and awarding points for accuracy in these differing states. The eight testing positions were as follows: Pendant up - 67 degrees Dial up - 42 degrees Pendant right - 67 degrees Dial up - 67 degrees Pendant left - 67 degrees Dial up - 92 degrees Pendant up - 67 degrees Dial down - 67 degrees