John Roger Arnold, London, No. 108, with London hallmarks for 1824. Rare and fine 18 ct. gold, early keyless ruby cylinder watch with unusual temperature compensation. | Important Collectors Wristwatches Pocket Watches & Clocks | Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, 21st October 1995

Important Collectors Wristwatches Po...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 21, 1995

LOT 84

John Roger Arnold, London, No. 108, with London hallmarks for 1824. Rare and fine 18 ct. gold, early keyless ruby cylinder watch with unusual temperature compensation.

CHF 10,000 - 12,000

C. Double body, massive, Empire with engine-turned band and polished back, marked "T.H." (Thomas Hardy II). D. Matt gold with Blue translucent enamel Roman numerals. Gold "pear" hands. M . Hinged gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, free standing barrel passing through the back plate, ruby cylinder escapement, plain polished steel three-arm balance, flat balance spring with unusual bimetallic compensation curb on the index. Early Prest keyless winding system, patented in 1820. Signed on the dial and back plate. In very good condition. Diam. 53 mm.

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Note: In 1820, Thomas Prest, who was John Roger Arnold's foreman, obtained a patent No. 4501, for a keyless wind watch, it reads as follow: "A New and Additional Movement applied to a Watch, to enable it to be Wound up by the Pendant Knob without any Detached Key or Winder" So John Roger cornes to some arrangement with Thomas Prest and straight away in 1820, they proceeded to produce a series of lovely watches, having ruby cylinder escapements, compensation curb, flat steel balance spring and the new Prest's keyless mechanism and a going barrel.