Important Collectors Wristwatches, Po...

Geneva, Nov 14, 2009

LOT 235

Minute-Repeating, Perpetual Calendar with Retrograde Date Hunt & Roskell, 156, New Bond Street, London, No. 12956, the movement probably supplied by Louis Audemars. The case with London hallmarks for 1873-1874. Extremely fine and exceptionally rare, large, heavy, minute-repeating, 18K yellow gold keyless pocket watch with perpetual calendar without leap-year indication and retrograde date.

CHF 25,000 - 35,000

USD 25,000 - 35,000 / EUR 17,000 - 25,000

Sold: CHF 24,000

C. Four-body, bassine, polished, by HW (mastermark). Hinged gold cuvette. D. White enamel with narrow radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary dials for the retrograde date, days of the week, 12 months and large seconds, aperture for the moon phases, gold and champleve enamel moon phase disc. Blued steel spade hands. M. 20???, frosted gilt, threequarter plate, fully jewelled in screwed gold chatons, lateral lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold temperature and meantime adjustment screws, blued steel Breguet balance spring with overcoil, diamond endstone, index regulator, foliate engraved balance cock, retrograde date geared with a rack and pinion assembly mounted above the toothed date wheel, repeating on gongs activated by a slide in the band. Dial and movement signed Hunt & Roskell. Diam. 56 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3-6*

Good

Slightly oxidized

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-24-01

Good

Slightly chipped

HANDS Original

Notes

The perpetual calendar with the feature of retrograde date is extremely uncommon. Like the majority of complicated English watches of the second half of the 19th century, the movement is made in Switzerland, in this case it is likely to have been supplied by the firm of Louis Audemars, due to the unusual nature of the calendar mechanism and the very high quality of finish. The moon phase disc is made of heavy gold and beautifully champleve enamelled with a deep blue translucent enamel.
Hunt and Roskell The firm of Hunt and Roskell had very close associations with the Swiss watch industry and often used Swiss movements for their precision watches. Hunt & Roskell The firm was begun by the gold and silversmith Paul Storr. In partnership with John Mortimer and John Samuel Hunt, he added the retailing of clocks and watches to his activities of selling gold and silver plate and jewelry in their New Bond Street premises. On December 31, 1838 the partnership was dissolved, business being continued by Mortimer with J.S. and J. Hunt as Mortimer & Hunt at 156 New Bond Street. In 1843 Mortimer retired, being replaced by Robert Roskell. The firm continued as Hunt & Roskell until they were bought by J.W. Benson in 1866. They also had premises in Manchester. The company made watches for the China trade and produced fine minute repeating watches and watches with spherically sprung spring-detent tourbillons. They exhibited at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867.