L\'ART DE L\'HORLOGERIE EN FRANCE DE ...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Nov 14, 1993

LOT 99

Louis Berthoud No. 2461 - 53, sold to M. le Général Cafarelli, Prefet Maritime de Brest, on 16 Messidor year XI (5 July 1803) for 70 Louis. Early silver pocket chronometer.

CHF 100,000 - 120,000

C. Three body massive "à double fond" with fixed cuvette and concealed hinges, polished, polished, typical of Louis Berthoud's pocket "montres marines", made by Joly (Master mark). D. White enamel with Roman numerals and subsidiary seconds made by Lucard (signed on the enamel backing); blued-steel Breguet hands. M. Frosted and gilt full plate with brass cylindrical pillars secured by pins, fusee with chain, maintaining power, typical Loius Berthoud's pivoted detent escapement and three-arm compensation balance conical balance spring. Signed on the dial, dial plate and back plate. In very good condition in a three body mahogany deck watch box with brass fittings. Diam. 68 mm.


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Notes

The movement of this watch vvas left unfinished by Louis Berthoud in 1799, at the time he stopped producing the "Montres Marines portatives au gousset" in favour of the "Montres Marines à suspension". It was specially completed at the request of M. le Général Cafarelli, then Prefet Maritime de Brest. Previously in the Hurle Bath collection, this watch is described by George Daniels and Cecil Clutton in Watches, 1979, fig. 225 a-b. It is illustrated in J.C. Sabrier : The Longitude at sen in the time of Louis Berthoud and Henri Motel, Antiquorum Editions 1993, pp. 126 - 127 and 529.