Important Collectors’ Wristwatches Po...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 21, 1995

LOT 572

Charles Oudin, Paris, No. 32440, certainly made by Louis Audemars, Brassus, Switzerland, circa 1880. Fine and very rare 18 ct. gold, moon phase astronomical, two-time zone, keyless minute repeating, split dead independent seconds watch with triple calendar.

CHF 80,000 - 120,000

C. Four body, massive, "bassine et filets", polished. Hinged gold cuvette. D. White enamel with two small Arabic chapter rings for the two-time zone, sunk inner days of the week on the left and months on the right, outer Arabic dead centre seconds ring, sunk subsidiary days of the month at noon and moon phase aperture with moon calendar on border. Blued steel and gold "spade" hands. M. 19 -, gilt brass double train with differential winding, gold wheel trains, 44 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring. Repeating on gongs with slide in the band. Split centre dead independent with a flirt on the escape pinion and button on the winding crown. Signed on the cuvette. In very good condition. Diam. 52 mm.


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Notes

This watch is certainly the most complicated type sold by Charles Oudin. Although the movement is not signed by Louis Audemars, it can be attributed without doubt to this eminent maker who was working for Oudin and at that time was alone in Switzerland to produce such complicated watches. Moreover the layout of the movement and of the dial of this watch is to be compared with that of the highly complicated watches illustrated in The Camerer Cuss Book of Antique Watches, 1976, pp. 256-257, pl.162 and that of the watch illustrated in G.L. Brunner, C. Pfeiffer-Belli and M. K. Wehrli: Audemars Piguet. The watches made by Louis Audemars for the French Market were usually with gilt brass movements and the wheel trains were made of 14 ct. gold. The two-time zone watches were usually required by personalities involved in the railway business, due to the necessity of comparing the mean time with the duration of the trip to establish the time-tables.