Exceptional Horological Sale Celebrat...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 24, 2004

LOT 76

The First Return-to-Zero Chronograph Jules Jürgensen, No. 9508, Geneva, finished by Alfred Jürgensen, made especially for Alfred Lavalette, Jürgensen?s brother-in-law, in 1860. Exceptionally fine, unique and highly important 18K gold hunting-cased subsidiary split-seconds watch, presumably the earliest known with heart piece.

CHF 20,000 - 30,000

EUR 12,600 - 19,000

C. Four-body, "bassine et filets", engine-turned covers, reeded band.D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions, sunk subsidiary split-seconds. Blued steel Breguet hands.M. 45 mm (20???), maillechort, skeletonized top plate, pillar plate decorated with radial damascening, 17 jewels, straight line calibrated lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with Breguet balance spring, Antoine LeCoultre rocking bar winding/setting mechanism, split-seconds mechanism set on the small subsidiary seconds with activated pushbutton on the band at 6 o?clock, lever-set. Signed on dial and movement, case and movement punched with the same serial number, case punched with Jules Jürgensen mark.Diam. 55 mm


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Grading System
Case: 3 - 14
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

Jules Jürgensen?s records reveal that the watch was made in 1860. The skeletonized ebauche was bought from "Cecile Roulet, fille d'Emile". She was not a common supplier of ebauches, and this must have been a special occasion, if an ebauche was bought from her. It was a "20 ligne, 17 jewel skeletonized nickel ebauche". It is intriguing to note that the finishing and the hands mechanism were executed by Alfred Jürgensen (1842-1912), Jules?s son, then only 18. The records reveal that on September 19, 1860, H. L. Capt supplied "repassage and coeur", proving that the return-to-zero heart mechanism had been invented at least two years before Adolphe Nicole officially introduced his invention at the 1862 London Exhibition (it had been patented by him shortly before). However, we know that Henri-Féréol Piguet, an employee of Nicole & Capt, communicated this invention to his employer Adolphe Nicole in 1861. It appears now that H.L. Capt was aware of the idea at least a year before. This would m ke the present watch the earliest known application of the chronograph with return-to-zero function, applied, furthermore, to a split-seconds mechanism. We want to express our gratitude to Mr. John Knudsen. who has informed us that Jules Jürgensen?s wife was named Anastasie Lavalette, and that the watch was most likely made for Jürgensen?s brother-in-law, Alfred.