Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Oct 13, 2001

LOT 588

Swiss, circa 1810.Fine and rare 18K gold, dead center-seconds stop watch with Pouzait escapement and date.

CHF 10,000 - 14,000

USD 6,000 - 8,500

Sold: CHF 12,650

C. Double-body, "Empire", polished with fluted band, hinged silver engine-turned cuvette with a rosette in the center. D. White enamel with small eccentric Breguet hour and minute chapter at the bottom, symmetrically calendar ring at the top, center-seconds ring on the border of the bezel. Gold "Breguet" hands. M. Gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, 1 second Pouzait lever escapement with very large plain five-arm brass balance covering most of the back plate, flat baance-spring with regulator, pierced and engraved gilt brass cock with polished steel end-piece.Diam. 60 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 13 - 01

Notes

This watch is published in the Ruscitti book, as no. 41.Pouzait EscapementDuring the last quarter of the 18th century, several watchmakers tried to produce watches with dead center-seconds hands, much in favor among the scientific community and on the Chinese market. The attempt made by Moïse Pouzait featured a lever escapement associated with a large seconds-beating balance. Due to its spectacular aspect, and in spite if its inertia sensitivity, Pouzait's escapement was much appreciated by the Chinese, before the invention by Jacot of the so-called "Chinese duplex" ecapement, enabling the production of dead center-seconds watches. In 1786 Pouzait made a model of his escapement which he presented to the Geneva Société des Arts, and which can still be seen intheir collection.