Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Hong Kong, Apr 23, 2006

LOT 369

?Detent Chronometer? Henri GrandJean & Cie, Locle, ?Cronometro?, No. 37983. Made for the Hispanic market, circa 1890. Very fine and rare, 18K gold keyless pocket chronometer with Earnshaw-type pivoted detent escapement.

HKD 55,000 - 70,000

USD 7,000 - 9,000 / EUR 6,000 - 7,500

C. Four-body, "Louis XV", polished. Gold hinged cuvette, glazed gold-rimmed cover for viewing the movement. D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer gilt painted dot minute track, red Arabic five minute numerals, subsidiary seconds. Blued steel ?spade? hands. M. 21???, rhodium plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, jewels in screwed gold chatons, Earnshaw type chronometer escapement with pivoted detent, jeweled locking stone, cut bimetallic compensation balance with blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 57 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

Henry Grandjean was one of the first to enter the South American Market. He was also, along with Ulysse Nardin, one of the first to establish a marine chronometer manufacturing business in Switzerland, as well as being an initiator of the Neuchâtel Observatory. In 1851, at the first Universal Exposition in London, Grandjean received a First Class medal. His list of medals continues until 1868, the year in which the company won an award for its marine chronometers. In the meantime, they also received at least eight different awards, not including those from the Observatory of Neuchâtel. Henry died in 1879 but it appears that the company continued for the next twenty years until 1899, the year in which Rossel & Fils registered their name as successors, who were also most likely running the company during these 20 years. On January 9, 1908 Rossel & Fils transferred the title to Charles-Ferdinand Perret.