Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Jun 25, 2010

LOT 407

S. Smith & Son - One-Minute Tourbillon ? Guillaume Balance S. Smith & Son, 9. Strand, London, Makers to the Admiralty and the Indian Government, Grand Hotel Buildings, Trafalgar Square, London, No. 302.16. The case with London hallmarks for 1912- 13. Fine and very rare, 18K gold, keyless pocket chronometer with one-minute tourbillon regulator, 30-hour power-reserve indication and Guillaume balance, Kew Observatory trial 1914, 90.6 points.

C. Four-body, pommes et filet, by Samuel Smith, mastermark SS, solid, polished, engine-turned back, bolt at 11 to engage the winding, at 1 for the hand-setting. Hinged gold cuvette. D. White enamel, Arabic numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds, 30-hour power-reserve indicator at 12 o'clock. Blued steel spade hands. M. 45 mm (20'''), half-plate, fusee and chain, jeweled escapement, one-minute Nicole Nielsen equidistant arm tourbillon carriage, lateral polished steel bridge, English lateral lever escapement with lift on the pallets, Guillaume balance with gold and platinum temperature and meantime adjustment screws, free-sprung blued steel balance spring with overcoiled Phillips outer terminal curve. Movement signed, case numbered. Diam. 57 mm.