The Art of Horology in Geneva
Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Nov 13, 1999
LOT 183
Isaac Grasset & Cie., Genève, No. 281, circa 1910.Rare silver and silver gilt keyless watch without mainspring barrel. Swiss Patents No. 5019 and 14528.
CHF 3,000 - 3,500
Sold: CHF 4,370
C. Three body, "bassine et filets" engine-turned with gilt bezels and band. D. White enamel with Roman numerals, outer Arabic minutes ring and sunk subsidiary seconds. Blued steel "spade" hands.M. Glazed, 18''', gilt brass, the mainspring rolled around the winding shaft. Straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring.Signed on the dial and movement.Diam. 51 mm.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: AAA |
Excellent |
Case: 3 |
Good |
Movement: * 3 |
|
Dial: 3 - 6 - 04 |
Notes
Grasset Isaac & CieA watchmaker who was also a lapidary. His workshop was at44, rue Wendt. He applied for several patents, such as a polishing and lapidaring machine in 1892, a device to set time by means of the pendant in 1896, a micrometric index in 1899, patentsNo. 5019 and later No. 14528 for a helical mainspring rolled around the winding stem. This device makes the mainspring barrel and the corresponding bridge unnecessary and therefore reduces the cost of these watches. Unfortunately, such economy was a detriment to their reliability. A new attempt was made, with the assistance of Auguste Meylan, to improve his invention by another patent applied for on September 9, 1892. This latter invention was presented in 1896 at the Geneva Exhibition.