Important Wristwatches, Watches & Clocks
Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 14, 1990
LOT 470
A. Lange & Sôhne, Glashütte B/Dresden, No 48639, circa 1904. Fine and rare silver case keyless pocket chronometer used for the Nanga-Parbat-Expedition to the Himalaya in 1939, in original fitted case.
CHF 35,000 - 40,000
Sold: CHF 39,100
Four body massive "Jtirgen" case with engine turned back. Silver cuvette. Mat silver dial with engraved Roman numerals and subsidiary seconds. Blued steel "pear" hands. Fine frosted gilt brass 21"' three quarter plate movement, 21 jewels, pivoted detent escapement, brass escape wheel, brass-invar Guillaume balance, free sprung blued steel helical balance spring with terminal curves. Signed on the dial, the case and the movement. In very good condition. Diam. 62 mm. This watch was used as a navigation chronometer by the Nanga-Parbat Expedition to the Himalaya in 1939. Their return to India coincided with the outbreak of war and the entire party was interned. Upon their release this watch was sold to a Swiss gentleman living in India in order to pay for their retum to Europe. Very few chronometers with detent escapement were produced by Lange. A similar example is illustrated and described in Kurt Herkner: Glashütte und seine Uhren, page 152, where the unusual detent with off-set passing spring is also shown.
