Important Collector's Wristwatches, P...

Grand Havana Room, May 26, 2004

LOT 160

?Vive la France? Swiss, No. 1917, circa 1915. Fine and rare silver and painted on enamel hunting-cased keyless minute-repeating watch with chronograph.

C. Five-body, massive,"bassine", polished, the front cover with painted on enamel of the French cockerel trampling the Imperial German eagle, a globe beneath with the blood of the eagle spread over Europe, behind a banner enscribed ?Vive la France?, the back with the flags of France, Great Britain, Italy and Belgium, surmounted by a banner inscribed ?Honneur aux Allies?, oak leaf engraving to the edge of the covers, hinged silver cuvette.D. White enamel, Breguet numerals, outer minute divisions, outermost seconds divided into fifths, subsidiary sunk seconds. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. 48 mm.(21???), rhodium-plated, 26 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with Breguet balance spring, repeating on gongs through activating slide in the band. Case punched with makers mark K&M.Diam. 62 mm.