Exceptional Horological Sale Celebrat...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 24, 2004

LOT 137

L. Leroy & Cie., 7 Boulevard de la Madeleine à Paris, Nos. 11501 and 13948. Made circa 1922. Extremely rare, self-winding, "navette"-shaped, 18K yellow gold self-winding wristwatch, probably the first made.

CHF 15,000 - 20,000

EUR 9,500 - 12,600 / USD 11,700 - 15,000

Sold: CHF 47,150

C. Three-body, solid, polished, shaped, screws on the band, to fix the movement, geometrical-shaped linked lugs.D. "Guilloché" silver with painted Arabic numerals on a plain reserve. Blued steel "Breguet" hands.M. 9''', rhodium-plated, 18 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, Breguet balance-spring. Large gold ogival weight pivoted on the side of the movement, opposite the crown, oscillating over a small arc in each direction. A double ratchet comprised of two click levers enables the weight to wind the ratchet wheel with each oscillation.Signed on the dial and the gold weight. Dim. 41 x 25 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3 - 14
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 5 - 01

Notes

Only three watches of this type are known to have been made. The first of these watches was made in 1922. The consensus of opinion, based on the literature, points to Leroy?s system as having been the first. Two L. Leroy self-winding wristwatches are illustrated in A. Chapuis and E. Jaquet: "La Montre Automatique Ancienne". One of them was sold by Antiquorum, November 14, 1993, lot 152. The second is the present lot.