Exceptional Horological Sale Celebrat...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 24, 2004

LOT 165

S. Smith & Son, London, No. 238-101, hallmarked 1904-05, retailed by Harrods. Exceptionally fine and unique 18K gold half-hunting cased free-sprung pocket chronometer with one-minute tourbillon regulator and 30-hour power reserve indicator.

CHF 100,000 - 150,000

EUR 63,000 - 95,000 / USD 78,000 - 117,000

Sold: CHF 267,500

C. Four-body, "bassine à filet", heavy, polished, front cover with central aperture with champlevé blue enamel vertical Arabic chapter ring and inner minute divisions, gold hinged cuvette, antitheft swivel pendant made by "AB".D. Off-white, by master dialmaker Willis, Arabic numerals, outer minute divisions, subsidiary sunk up-and-down indicator at 6 o?clock, subsidiary sunk seconds at 12. Blued steel "double spade" hands.M. 47 mm (21???), by Nicole Nielsen, frosted gilt, half-plate, reversed fusee and chain, jeweled to the center, Harrison?s maintaining power, chain with a guard plate to protect the escapement in case of breakage, three-arm equidistant tourbillon carriage with gold poising screws, Earnshaw type spring detent escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with gold and platinum screws, blued steel free-sprung double overcoiled balance spring with inner and outer terminal curves.Signed on dial and movement by the retailer, case punched "SS" (Samuel Smith). Diam. 58 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

The present watch is one of a small number of tourbillons made by Smith & Sons at the beginning of the 20th century. With the exception of this one they all had lever escapements. This watch has everything a superior English chronometer from the period could have: superior spring detent escapement, superbly finished tourbillon carriage (revolving escapement), the double overcoiled free-sprung balance spring almost exclusively reserved for watches destined for Observatory trials, and reversed fusee to equalize the torque on the escapement without excessive wear on the center wheel bushing (not to be confused with inverse fusee). To protect the revolving escapement, the makers installed a guard plate along the barrel. This is a very rare feature, used only in the most important watches. The exceptional finishing of the watch is no doubt due to the fact that it was ordered by London?s premier department store, Harrods.