Dubois & Fils, Swiss, circa 1820. Fine and rare, 18 ct. gold, dead centre second beating stop-watch with special escapement, " pirouette" and mock pendulum. | Important Watches, Wristwatches and Clocks | Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, 17th October 1993

Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 17, 1993

LOT 338

Dubois & Fils, Swiss, circa 1820. Fine and rare, 18 ct. gold, dead centre second beating stop-watch with special escapement, " pirouette" and mock pendulum.

CHF 13,000 - 16,000

C. Double body, "Directoire", polished. D. White enamel (very slightly restored on the border beneath the bezel), the small eccentric chapter with Breguet numerals, outer centre seconds ring on the border of the bezel and glazed circular aperture for the mock pendulum. Gold hands and steel counterpoised centre seconds. M. Hinged gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, frictional rest escapement with two facing crown-wheels operating on a conical single pallet carried on the arbor of a wheel gearing with the balance pinion. Large plain brass five-arm balance, flat balance spring. Signed on the dial and back plate. In good condition. Diam. 57 mm.

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Notes

The "pirouette" was invented by Christian Huygens in order to increase the amplitude of the balance. Very few early balance-spring watches only were made with such an arrangement and even less at the end of the XVlllth century. The escapement of this watch, based on the principle developed by Debaufre, is very similar to that invented by Pierre Le Roy, the brother of the celebrated Julien, and described in Gallon, Machine et inventions approuvées par l'Académie Royale des Sciences.