Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Nov 16, 2008

LOT 279

For J. Pierpont Morgan ? Minute Repeating Tourbillon & Split-Seconds Chronograph Charles Frodsham, by Appointment to the Queen, 115 New Bond St., late of 84 Strand, London, No. 08616, Ad. Fmsz. The case with London hallmarks for 1897-98, themovement supplied byNicole Nielsen & Co., entered in stock 1898, ordered by J. Pierpont Morgan and given to P.M.H. in 1913. Exceptional and highly important, large, 18K gold minute-repeating, keyless pocket chronometer with one-minute tourbillon regulator, split-seconds chronograph and 60-minute register.

C. Four-body, "pommes et filet", massive, by Harrison Mill Frodsham, mastermark HMF, polished, swivel anti-theft pendant, mastermark GJ. Hinged gold cuvette engraved ?P.M.H. from J.P.M. 1913?. D. ?Best venetian tint? enamel, by master dial makerWillis, radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions, outermost seconds divided into fifths, subsidiary 60-minute register at 9, subsidiary seconds symmetrically at 3. Blued steel spade hour and minute hands, gold star chronograph hand. M. 51 mm (23???), frosted gilt, 3/4-plate, 18 jewels, some in screwed chatons, one-minute equidistant 3-arm steel tourbillon carriage poised with gold screws as in a compensation balance and by friction-fit gold nut set on eccentric post for micrometric adjustment, lateral counterpoised lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with gold temperature and mean time adjustment screws, double-overcoiled freesprung Breguet balance spring with inner and outer Phillips terminal curves, Nicole Nielsen chronograph mechanism driven from the toothed carriage, while the register is driven directly from the 2nd wheel, repeating on gongs activated by a slide in the band. Dial and movement signed, case punched with H.M. Frodsham mark, movement and case with the same serial number. Diam. 63 mm.