Important Collectors Watches, Pocket ...

Geneva, Mar 29, 2009

LOT 322

Dumb Quarter-Repeating Julien Le Roy a Paris, ?Invente par Jul Le Roy en 1740?, No. 3312. Made circa 1750. Very fine, 20K gold, dumb quarter repeating pocket watch. To be sold without reserve

CHF 6,000 - 8,000

USD 5,100 - 6,800 / EUR 4,000 - 5,400

Sold: CHF 2,880

C. Two-body, "Louis XV", engine-turned with a swirling basketwork pattern, repeat silence button in the bezel. D. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track and Arabic five- minute numerals. Gold Louis XV hands. M. Hinged gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement with micrometric potence adjustment, plain steel three-arm balance, flat balance spring, pierced and foliate chased continental type balance cock with polished steel endpiece, silver regulation dial with hand, repeating on the case activated by depressing the pendant. Dial and movement signed. The dial plate ring inscribed ?Inventé par Jul. Le Roy en 1740?. Diam. 46.5 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good

Case: 2

Very good

Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 4-27-01

Fair

Custom-made

HANDS Original

Notes

The inscription "Inventé par Julien Le Roy en 1740" refers to the invention called "a bate levee". This arrangement allowed more space for the repeating work. It was subsequently adopted by all French makers.
Julien Le Roy (1686 ? 1759)
One of the greatest French horologists of the time, he was apprenticed in 1699 to the Parisian maker Le Bon, became master in 1713, Juré in 1731 and Horloger du Roi in 1739. A founding member of the Société des Arts, he raised the status of French horology to the standard where it could challenge the supremacy of England.
Literature: Charles Allix and G. Brusa, Antiquarian Horology, June 1972.