Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Jun 14, 2003

LOT 228

Louis Elisée Piguet, No. 2762, made probably for the Russian market, circa 1900. Very fine and important 18K gold hunting-cased keyless double-train astronomical carillon Grande Sonnerie clockwatch with minute-repeating, phases of the moon, perpetual calendar, and chronograph with instantaneous center 60-minute register.

CHF 150,000 - 200,000

EUR 100,000 - 134,000 / USD 116,000 - 155,000

Sold: CHF 152,000

C. Six-body, massive, "bassine et filets" engine-turned, gold hinged cuvette over glazed gold bezel for viewing the movement. D. White enamel, double-sunk, radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, outermost chronograph track divided into fifths, five-minute/seconds Arabic markers, four subsidiary sunk dials for days of the week, date, months of the four year leap cycle and subsidiary seconds concentric with phases of the moon aperture. Blued steel "spade" hands. M. 45 mm. (20'''), frosted gil, Mairet tandem winding system, 35 jewels, straight line calibrated lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with blued steel Breguet balance spring, carillon on three gongs and three hammers, carillon/silence lever at 12 o'clock protruding from under the bezel, repeating activated by a small pushbutton at 6 o'clock on the band.Signed on the movement under the dial, engraved with Brandt's patent number, case punched with Le Locle guarantee mark.Diam. 59 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

The watch combines a number of unusual features; the basic sonnerie movement is based on the invention by Henri Golay in 1859 for striking watches having minute repeating mechanism. It was improved to the status of carillon by Louis Brandt & Frère Swiss patent o. 7832 registered on December 30, 1893. Louis Brandt was the founder of Omega. It was then fitted with chronograph with rare form of instantaneous center register. On top of it a perpetual calendar was added. Finally, it was executed by one of the best makers of complicated pieces of the time Louis Elisée Piguet.