The Longitude at the Eve of the Third...
Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 23, 1999
LOT 72
A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte, i. Sa., No. 201 378,circa 1940.Fine silver keyless pocket lever chronometer with32 hour power reserve indication, made for the German Navy, Service Number M. 6884.
CHF 6,000 - 8,000
Sold: CHF 8,625
C. Four body, massive, "bassine", polished, the back engraved with the Service Number. Hinged silver cuvette. D. Silvered two tone with Arabic numerals, subsidiary seconds and Up-and-Down scale. Blued steel "spade" hands. M. 22''', frosted and gilt, three quarter plate, calibre 48, 17 jewels, straight line lever escapement, brass-invar Guillaume balance, Breguet balance spring.Signed on the case and movement.Diam. 59 mm.
| Grading System | |
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Grade: AAA |
Excellent |
Case: 4 - 14 |
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Movement: * 3 |
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Dial: 3 - 01 |
Notes
Such chronometers wire used on board of U2 submariner during WWII.Similar watches are illustrated by Norbert Eder in: Beobachtungsuhren, Deck Watches und Chronomètres de bord, Calwey Editions, p.82, fig. 16 a - b.Adolph Ferdinand Lange (1815-1875) was born in Dresden on February 18, 1815. He had his early training there and, was later taught at the Dresden Polytechnic School. He went to Paris and was employed from 1840 to 1845 by the celebrated chronometer maker, J. T. Winnerl (1799-1886).Lange introduced the metric system at the outset.He also was mayor of Glashütte from 1855 to 1867 and served as an elected member to the parliament of the kingdom of Saxony.