Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Jun 14, 2003

LOT 168

Tavernier à Paris, No. 1111, circa 1775. Very fine and unusual astronomical 18K gold, double-face center-seconds quarter-repeating à toc watch, with manual perpetual calendar, phases of the moon, and equation table with mnemonic year indications.

CHF 25,000 - 30,000

EUR 17,000 - 20,000 / USD 19,000 - 23,000

Sold: CHF 46,000

C. Two-body, "Louis XV", glazed on both sides. D. On the front, white enamel dial with upright Roman numerals, outer minute dot divisions with five-minute Arabic markers, outermost equation table for the 12 months. Gold "beetle and poker" hands. On the back, white enamel calendar dial, the center with days of the week chapter, on top an aperture for the phases and age of the moon, at 2 o'clock aperture for the year with indications until 9999, at 4 o'clock aperture for months with the number ofcorresponding days, at 6 o'clock regulating sector, at 8 o'clock aperture for days of the month, at 9 o'clock division of the day into eight parts, with the pointer to indicate when the calendar must be reset. M. 35 mm. ø, hinged gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, cylinder escapement, steel escape wheel, plain three-arm steel balance, flat balance spring, continental cock, repeating on small gold block by depressing the pendant.Signed on the edge of the dial plate and the dial.Diam. 46 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 13 - 19 - 01

Notes

The indications for the month and its duration, the date, the days of the week, and the four divisions of the day all progress mechanically. The year must be changed manually. The calendar mechanism is run directly from the fusee, the main advantage of which is that the power used for driving it is almost insignificant. A special clutch mechanism is required on the fusee to make sure that the calendar is not affected by the winding, which Tavernier designed in a very ingenious manner. He also very cleverly solved the problem of resetting, with a small dial at 9 o'clock serving that purpose. Jean-Pierre Tavernier C. 1720 - after 1804 Father of Louis and Pierre-Benjamin. He was received Master on March 1, 1746, and established a shop in the rue de Bussy. He was particularly renowned for his watches, but also sold clocks, using cases by B. Lieutaud and F. Rémond. Among his clients was the duc de Caylus. After Jean-Pierre's death, his activity was continued by his son Louis. "Les Ouvriers du Temps", Jean-Dominique Augarde, Editions Antiquorum, Genève, 1996.