Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

New York, Dec 05, 2007

LOT 304

Chronometre - Keyless Cover Winding Maison B. Haas Jeune, Geneve-Paris, "Chronometre Remontoir Perpetuel", No. 15795. Made for the Hispanic market, circa 1890. Fine, 18K gold, hunting-cased, keyless pocket lever chronometer with remontoire perpétuel à décrochement keyless cover winding.

USD 2,800 - 3,800

EUR 2,000 - 2,600

Sold: USD 4,484

C. Four-body, "bassine", polished, the front cover decorated with an engraved trophy of a palm frond, anchor, caduceus and cornucopia, the back with a monogram "JR". Hinged gold cuvette. D. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track and gold painted Arabic five-minute numerals, subsidiary seconds. Gold spade hands. M. 17''', rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 19 jewels, stamped twice with the Seal of Geneva Quality Mark, counterpoised straight-line lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator, patented winding mechanism which, when the cover is closed, transmits power via two levers to a ratchet wheel on the barrel arbor with a safety device disengaging the mechanism when fully wound, going train with an additional wheel driving a steel wheel fixed to the center wheel having half the diameter of the driving one, second motion train driven from the canon pinion and advanced directly by pushing the teeth of the minute wheel, lever-set. Cuvette signed. Diam. 52 mm. Property of Various Owners


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

In 1873, Benjamin Haas patented a winding mechanism (English patent No. 3945), using the energy generated when closing the front cover to wind the watch. The initial idea was improved; this watch features a well-developed system with a 36-hour power reserve generated by twelve closings. To achieve this, Hass added an additional wheel to the going train, which allowed him three hours winding by a single closing. He also designed a safety device disengaging the mechanism when fully wound, which was necessary to prevent damage to the cover.