Important Watches, Collector's Wrist...

Hong Kong, Jun 08, 2001

LOT 157

Louis Audemars, Brassus, No. 22560, circa 1870.Very fine 14K gold, hunting cased, keyless minute repeating watch.

HKD 40,000 - 47,000

USD 5,000 - 47,000

C. Four-body, "bassine et filets", engine-turned covers, polished band and bezels, gold hinged cuvette. D. White enamel, Roman chapters, outer minute divisions with five-minute Arabic markers, subsidiary sunk seconds. Blued steel "spade" hands. M. 43.7 mmø, frosted gilt, 31 jewels, straight-line counterpoised lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued-steel Breguet balance spring, wolf-tooth winding wheels, lever-set, repeating on gongs through activating slide in the band.Signed on dial, case and movement.Diam. 55 mm


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3 - 14
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

Audemars, Louis BenjaminBorn in 1782 in Derrière les Grandes Roches in La Vallée de Joux. At 16 he was apprenticed to Philippe Meylan, head of the most prestigious watch company in the valley. Philippe Meylan married Audemars' sister and so became not only his master but also his brother-in-law.The fine workmanship of his watches, especially the complicated ones, established Audemars' reputation. Louis Audemars died in 1833 leaving 12 children. All eight of his sons continued in the Audemars firm after his death, extending the activities of the company, making finished movements, and inventing the keyless winding/setting system today referred as the Audemars system.