Important Collector's Wristwatches an...
Hong Kong, Hotel Furama Kempinski, Jun 14, 1995
LOT 306
Robert et Courvoisier, (Chaux-de-Fonds) Swiss, No. 88593, circa 1795. Fine and rare, 18 ct. gold, early dead centre seconds stop-watch with special escapement.
HKD 60,000 - 75,000
USD 8,000 - 10,000
C. Double body, Louis XVI, polished with glazed back. D. White enamel with Breguet numerals and outer minute and seconds ring. Gold Breguet hands. M. Hinged gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, Pouzait lever escapement with extra large plain gold four-arm balance, flat balance spring with regulator, extra large skeletonised gilt brass cock covering the back plate, with diamond end-stone. Knurled setting wheel and stop-watch lever, in the gilt brass dial plate. Signed on the dial and the cock. In very good condition. Diam. 57 mm. During the last quarter of the XVIIIth century, several watchmakers tried to produce watches with dead centre seconds hands, much in favour among the scientists and in the Chinese market. The attempt made by Moïse Pouzait with a lever escapement associated with a large seconds beating balance, thanks to its spectacular aspect, was much appreciated on the Chinese market in spite if its inertia sensitivity, before the invention by jacot of the so-called "Chinese duplex" escapement enabling the production of dead centre second watches.
