Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 506

W. Lister & Sons, Ltd, 32 & 34 Northumberland St., Newcastle-on-Tyne, London hallmarks of 1921.Exceptionally fine and very rare 18K gold keyless pocket watch with one-minute tourbillon regulator.

CHF 40,000 - 50,000

EUR 28,000 - 35,000 / USD 30,000 - 37,000

Sold: CHF 267,500

C. Three-body, by Frederick Thoms, "bassine 5 pommes", gold glazed cuvette, polished. D. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary sunk seconds. M. 43 mm (19'''), frosted gilt, 21 jewels, lateral calibrated lever escapement with lift on the pallets, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with gold screws, freesprung Breguet balance spring mounted on Nicole, Nielsen type carriage but with only two arms. Signed on the movement, case punched with Thoms' trademark. Diam. 53 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3
Movement: 3*
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

Unusual tourbillon - it is based on Nicole, Nielsen ebauche as well as on their carriage. However, their carriages were equidistant with three-arms. The two-armed ones, like the one in this watch, they used very rarely. It is an excellent design that in the hands of skilled watchmaker will perform superbly. The change from three arms to two takes a little weight off the carriage, which should be as light as possible because going train transmission of a watch moves in jumping fashion in the rhyhm of the escapement. It stops and re-starts every fifth of a second. Furthermore, during unlocking it moves slightly backwards. The same happens to the carriage, it runs when unlocked by the escapement, then it stops, moves slightly backward and restarts again. And so, the heavier the carriage, the escapement is less effective - the unlocking requires more power. In heavy train the momentum exerted on the pallets differ considerably at the beginning of the impulse and at the end. Actually, no mtter what train, it is never constant, but the heavier the train, the larger this difference becomes.Because of that the good makers make carriages as light as possible. Of course, light one is usually more difficult to make. In the case of the present watch, the makers decided to abandon traditional three-arm carriage for a lighter two-arm one. It is worth mentioning that in our times, this form appears being favored by the modern master of tourbillons, George Daniels.Lister & SonsWere precision clock and watch makers since the beginning of the nineteenth century. In 1853 they won the first place in the Greenwich chronometer trial, they took part in others, also with considerable success (1858 - 3rd place, 1860 - 4th place).