Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Nov 16, 2008

LOT 512

Gold Loehr Patent Loehr Patent, ?Remontoir Automatique?, Swiss. Made circa 1885. Fine and very rare, 14K rose gold, square self-winding pocket watch.

CHF 4,800 - 6,000

USD 4,500 - 5,500 / EUR 3,000 - 38,000

C. Four-body, square, entirely engraved with scrolls and flowers, the interior of the back cover with an aperture for a photograph. Hinged gold cuvette with engine-turned border. D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds at 10, power-reserve scale at 2. Blued steel spade hands.M. Square, 37 x 37 mm., rhodium-plated, 15 jewels, lateral counterpoised lever escapement, notched bimetallic compensation balance with flat Breguet balance spring, jeweled T-shaped oscillating weight with cork-clad steel banking pins, index regulator. Dial and case signed, on cuvette ?Remontoir Automatique. Dim. 45 x 45 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3**

Good

Repair required, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-23-01

Good

Later

HANDS Original

Notes

This is an extremely rare gold example of the Loehr Patent self-winding watch that is almost always found in a silver case. On April 12, 1878 August von Loehr of Vienna filed for a British patent for a self-winding watch with a special simple over-winding prevention system and a special setting mechanism. On July 13, 1878, he filed for a USA patent, which was granted on January 7, 1879 (No. 211280). Before Loehr?s invention, self-winding watches required an elaborate disengaging system when fully wound. Loehr overcame this problem in a very simple way by employing an elastic ratchet pawl.