Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

The Ritz-carlton Hotel, Hong-kong, Jun 08, 2002

LOT 29

Isaac Grasset & Cie, Geneva, circa 1898.Interesting and rare silver and gold-filled keyless watch with special patented power source.

HKD 19,500 - 22,500

EUR 2,800 - 3,400 / USD 2,500 - 3,000

Sold: HKD 49,450

C. Four-body, "bassine", engine-turned back, polished gold-filled bezels and band, glazed silver cuvette. D. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute divisions with five-minute Arabic figures, subsidiary sunk seconds. Gold "Louis XV" hands. M. 43 mm. (19'''), bridge caliber unique for Grasset, 15 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, Breguet balance spring, power source in the form of a thin coiled spring wound around the winding stem which terminates wita gear meshing with the center wheel pinion.Signed on dial and movement.Diam. 50 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3 - 14
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 6 - 01

Notes

In the early 1880's Isaac Grasset designed an interesting alternative power source in the form of a coiled spring wound around the stem (Swiss patent No. 120, later improved in No. 5019). In 1897 he patented a stem winding and setting mechanism for the arrangement, as found in this watch (Swiss patent No. 14528). He also patented an interesting constant force escapement and applied it to his design. To date, no example of this is known.