Important Wristwatches, Watches & Clocks
Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 14, 1990
LOT 473
Wildmar Fieck & Alfred Helwig, Glashütte Sachsen, No 24, masterpiece made in 1931. Extremely rare and fine silver cased pocket chronometer with up/down scale and one minute flying "toubillon" regulator, in original fitted case.
CHF 330,000 - 380,000
Four body massive "Louis XV" polished case. Mat silver dial with blued steel high relief indexes, counter sunk subsidiary seconds and up/down sector. Blued steel "modernes" hands. Fine glazed rhodium plated three quarter plate movement, "fausses côtes" decoration, 15 jewels, double barrel with a differential winding train mounted on the back plate and "planetary" stop work with rack and pinion up/down off the differential gear. Spring detent escapement with a steel escape wheel, the jewels set in pressed gold settings. Very delicate three armed polished steel "flying" tourbillon carriage, driven by the third wheel. Signed on the back plate. In excellent condition. Diam. 59 mm. The flying tourbillons, made following the principals of Professor Alfred Helwig, represent the ultimate achievement in the making of revolving escapements. The few exanples made at the Lange school can certainly be counted amongst the masterpieces of German horology. Similar watches are described and illustrated in Kurt Herkner: Glashütte und seine Uhren, pages 378 to 399 and in Martin Huber: De Uhren von A. Lange & Sôhne, Glashütte Sachsen page 53.
