Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Oct 04, 2009

LOT 118

American Market Very Early Split-Seconds Chronograph Charles Frodsham, Ad. FMSZ, No. 03615 and J.E. Dent, Watchmaker to the Queen, No. 23140, the movement by Nicole Nielsen. Made for the American market, the case with London hallmarks for 1859-1860. Fine and extremely rare, 18K gold, keyless, very early splitseconds chronograph pocket watch with stop feature.

CHF 2,000 - 3,000

USD 1,900 - 2,800 / EUR 1,300 - 2,000

Sold: CHF 1,020

C. Three-body, "bassine", master mark AN, the back cover engraved with the American eagle, perched on two crossed American flags, each of which features thirteen stars representative of the 13 founding states, the motto ?E Pluribus Unum? (Out of Many, One) below, bezels and band engraved in repeated pattern, bolt at 1 o?clock for the stop feature. D. White enamel, eccentric with Roman numerals, outer minute/seconds track. Blued steel spade hands. M. 41.6 mm, 3/4 plate, gilt brass, Nicole Nielsen keyless winding, lateral English-type lever escapement with lift on the pallets, cut-bimetallic compensation balance, Breguet balance spring, jeweed to the third wheel, split-seconds mechanism with heart-piece mounted under the dial, the split returning lever made of gold. Signed on the dial Charles Frodsham 03615 AD. Fmsz, on the movement E.J. Dent , watchmaker to the Queen, Patent, No. 23140, pillar plate punched 3361. Diam. 47 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 4-23-25-01

Fair

Later

Chipped

HANDS Original

Notes

In addition to being an interesting example of "Americana", this watch is noteworthy from a horological viewpoint in that it features a curious combination of Dent's and Frodsham's signatures, two watchmakers who were not partners. It would seem that Dent ordered the ebauche from Nicole Nielsen, and that it was subsequently bought or finished by Frodsham. This watch could be termed experimental because Nielson's invention of the heart piece (1862), allowing the chronograph to return-to-zero, was still unknown. In this particular case, the heart piece is not used for return-to-zero but is employed in the split-seconds mechanism, allowing the split-seconds hand to rejoin the center-seconds/chronograph hand, making the watch rather advanced for its time. While still in partnership with Arnold, Frodsham employed a split-seconds mechanism with a duration of less than a minute that was controlled by a spring similar to a balance spring. The one in this watch is one of the earliest types that is found later in most of the complicated Swiss watches.