Important Wristwatches, Watches & Clocks

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 17, 1992

LOT 93

Honoré Pons, circa 1823. Extremely rare and fine, vertical, center seconds, traveling chronometer.

CHF 70,000 - 80,000

Sold: CHF 63,250

Three piece rectangular mahogany cabinet with removable panels on the front and the back, secured by locks. The movement is screwed on a wood plate, sliding in the cabinet Glazed circular dial aperture on the fixed inside panel. Silvered dial with Roman numerals, outer minute and inner seconds rings. Blued steel pear hands. Brass square half plate movement with four turned cylindrical pillars, going barrel, two plane pivoted detent escapement, bimetallic three armed balance with poising and timing screws, free sprung blued steel helical balance spring. The balance can be locked at will, by means of a small detent, driven for the front face, by a small lever. Signed on the dial. In very good condition. Dim.17,5x15x11 cm.


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Notes

Such chronometers were exhibited for the firs time at the Paris Exhibition of 1823. The only other clock known of this type, is in the Musée National des Techniques ( C.N.A.M., Paris), is is described and illustrated in Hans Von Bertele : Marine and pocket Chronometers, page 168, fig. 167 a,b,c. Honoré Pons, eminent maker, born in Grenoble, settled in Paris circa 1800. Following the rapport made by Sayoye Rollin, Prefect of the region, setting out the precarious state of the horological industry, he was brought to Saint Nicolas d'Aliermont in 1806 by the Minister of the Interior in order to reorganize it. After a careful investigation into the 18th century methods used in Saint Nicolas, he formed the clockmakers into a sort of Guild called Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Saint Nicolas d' Aliermont, directed by himself and designed to coordinate their efforts and business interests. He introduced the use of machinery, some of it of his own devising, and generally he brought an industrial revolution to Saint Nicolas which became the main French center of production for the clock movements, known as mouvements de Paris, an Iater for carriage clocks and chronometers. The largest part of the production being sold as blancs-roulants, and finished in other centers, such as Paris. Honoré Pons was also the inventor of various constant force escapements, and of the échappement mixte used for this chronometer. He awarded silver medals in the Exhibitions of 1806, 1819, 1823, and a gold medal in 1834.