Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Hong Kong,the Ritz Carlton Hotel,harbour Room, 3rd Floor, Jun 02, 2007

LOT 62

?Alpine Village Scene? Henry Grandjean & Co., Locle, No. 38687, enamel probably by Rosselet. Made for S. Fairburn, Mexico in 1891. Very fine and rare hunting-cased 14K yellow gold and painted on enamel enamel keyless pocket watch with chronograph and instantaneous 30-minute register.

HKD 80,000 - 120,000

USD 11,000 - 16,000 / EUR 8,000 - 12,000

Sold: HKD 165,200

C. Six-body, "bassine", heavy, the back with a polychrome enamel scene depicting an Alpine village with a mill along a river in the foreground and the Mont Blanc in the background, pushbutton at 12 o?clock for stop/start, Front cover with enamel monogram ?SF?, gold hinged cuvette over hinged glazed gold bezel for viewing the movement. D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, outermost chronograph ring with fiveminute Arabic figures, sunk subsidiary seconds and 30-minute counter. Blued steel spade hands. M. 20???, nickel, "fausses côtes"decoration, 25 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance, Breguet balance spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 52 mm. Property of an Italian Gentleman


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3-50

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Henry Grandjean was one of the first to enter the South American Market. He was also one of the first to manufacture marine chronometers in Switzerland, and was an initiator of the Neuchâtel Observatory. Grandjean received a First Class medal at the 1851 Universal Exposition in London. In 1868 the company won an award for its marine chronometers. Henry died in 1879 but it appears that the company continued until 1899, the year in which Rossel & Fils became the successors. On January 9, 1908 Rossel & Fils transferred the title to Charles-Ferdinand Perret.