Exceptional horologic works of art

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Oct 11, 2003

LOT 222

Paul Ditisheim, Solvil, Geneva, No. 703446, circa 1926. Extremely fine and impressive silver, keyless deck watch with 52-hour winding indicator and Guillaume balance.

CHF 14,000 - 18,000

EUR 9,100 - 11,700

Sold: CHF 20,700

C. Three-body, massive, “Empire”, polished, fluted band and edges of the bezels, the back stamped with maker's trademark, silver detachable cuvette. D. Matte silver with champlevé Roman numerals and outer minute ring, 52-hour up-and-down subsidiary dial, subsidiary sunk seconds. Blued steel “spade” hands. M. 55 mm (25'''), matte gilt, straight-line lever escapement, 21 sapphire jewels, Anibal-brass Guillaume balance with gold temperature screws, Breguet balance spring with Phillips outer and inner terminal curves, going train jeweled to the center with endstones on the entire escapement, escape wheel in separate jeweled plate for easy removal.Signed on dial, case and movement.Diam. 65 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

Among Ditisheim deck watches, the ones with this type of movement, called sometimes type 1, are the most impressive. They won Ditisheim more Observatory prizes than any others. Paul Ditisheim was one of the most esteemed Swiss horologists of the first half of the 20th century. He designed and patented his own compensation balance (Swiss patent No. 98234), developed a new oil with remarkable stability, and was known for his superior skills in adjusting, skills that won him many prizes and honors.Solvil was founded in early 1920 to exploit Ditisheim's invention, and produce the highest possible timekeepers. The present watch is an excellent example of early Solvil production. It was chosen as an example of Ditisheim's work by orbert Eder in his “Beobachtungsuhren”, Munich, 1987, p. 128. For a note on Anibal, see lot 134.