Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Nov 16, 2008

LOT 473

Independent Dead Center-Seconds Amaury au Havre. The casewith Frenchmarks for 1819- 1822. Fine and rare, two-train, 18K gold pocket watch with independent dead center-seconds and ruby cylinder escapement.

CHF 3,700 - 4,700

USD 3,500 - 4,300 / EUR 2,300 - 3,000

C. Four-body, ?Empire?, engine-turned, bolt at 4 o?clock for start and stop of the center seconds. Hinged gilt metal cuvette engraved with the technical details. D.White enamel with Breguet numerals, outer minute and seconds divisions. Gold Breguet hour and minute hands, steel center-seconds hand. M. 48 mm., frosted gilt, 12 jewels, two-train with standing barrels, ruby cylinder escapement, six-leaf flirt attached to the escape wheel pinion for driving the dead center-seconds, three-arm brass balance, flat balance spring, index regulator. Dial and cuvette signed. Diam. 55 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3-11

Good

Slightly worn
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

Independent dead center-seconds In 1776, in Geneva, Moise Pouzait invented the independent dead seconds mechanism in which the movement has two trains. One is conventional, and the second has a sweep-seconds hand that can be stopped without stopping the main train.
Literature: La Montre Française, Adolphe Chapiro, Les Editions de l?Amateur, 1991, pp. 330 & 333, figs. 682-684