The Art of American Horology & Colle...

New York, Nov 28, 2001

LOT 184

Bartens & Rice, New York, made expressly for Robert Graves, circa 1885.Very fine, 18K gold, keyless, minute-repeating watch with split-seconds chronograph and special dial.

USD 15,000 - 20,000

C. four-body, "bassine", polished back cover with applied gold initials "RG", double bezel, gold, hinged cuvette over glazed gold cover for viewing the movement. D. matte gold with letters R.O.B.E.R.T.G.R.A.V.E.S. for the numerals made in red, blue and white champlevé enamel, outer minute and chronograph rings with five-minute Arabic markers in white champlevé enamel, gold "Louis XV" hands. M. 42.6 mm, nickel, half-plate, "fausses côtes" decoration, straight line calibrated lever escapement, cutbimetallic compensation balance, blued steel, Breguet balance spring, lever-set with setting lever mounted between the bezels, repeating on gongs through activating a slide in the band.Signed on the movement by Bartens and Rice. Dial, case, and movement signed Robert Graves. Cuvette inscribed Robert Graves, New York, Nov 17, 1886, movement: Made Expressly for Robert Graves.Diam. 53 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

This watch was undoubtedly made specifically for a very wealthy client. Although "Graves" is a relatively common name in the New York area, there was one particular member of a family of the same name remembered for his fascination for watches. One of his watches, called today simply "The Graves", broke the all-time record selling at auction in 1999 for $11,002,500. The owner of the present watch, no doubt a connoisseur of fine watches, likely came from the same family.