Important Collector's Wristwatches & ...

Grand Havana Room, Sep 22, 2004

LOT 210

Set of five, Revue Thommen, "Cricket" wristwatches. Produced in a limited edition of 50 examples in 1997 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the first Cricket wristwatch. Accompanied by a fitted box and certificate. Fine and rare, center-seconds, water-resistant, platinum gentleman's wristwatch with alarm, two crowns and date, and an original platinum buckle. Accompanied by a fitted box and certificate

USD 14,000 - 18,000

EUR 11,000 - 15,000

Sold: USD 17,825

C. Three-body, solid, polished, case back with screws and dedication, curved lugs, two winding-crowns: one for manual setting and winding, the other for the alarm, sapphire crystal. D. Guilloché champlevé enamel with applied white gold dart indexes, the logo RR at 12, outer graduation for the alarm in painted Arabic numerals, aperture for the date, at the center, an engraved representation of the Capitol building in Washington DC. "dauphine" tritium coated white gold hands. M. Cal. 13 ''', rhodium plated, 1 jewel, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compensating flat balance-spring, double back, acoustic membrane and sound chamber.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 35 mm.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 1

As new
Movement: 1

As new
Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

This collection of numbered watches comprises: ? o. 09/50 - yellow dial ? o. 09/50 - silver dial ? o. 00/50 - blue dial ? o. 00/50 - red dial ? o. 09/50 - green dial Created in 1947, the Revue Thommen Cricket wristwatch is considered to be the first acoustic alarm watch. The company?s catalogue for that year stated, "The challenge facing the Cricket's inventor Robert Ditisheim was to reproduce the strident cry of the cricket, a small insect with a big sound. [Achieved by] a system comprising an alarm mechanism with an acoustic membrane and sound chamber." The Cricket embarked upon an illustrious career with new models introduced from 1947 until 1975. When United States Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson and Richard ixon all chose to wear a Cricket watch, it soon became known as the "Presidents? Watch." In 1964, President Johnson was even seen wearing his Cricket on the cover of ewsweek magazine. In 1986, Revue Thommen reintroduced the Cricket, maintaining the designs from the 1947 - 1954 era. To celebrate the watch's 50th anniversary, Revue Thommen released two new models, the Cricket 1997 and an Anniversary Platinum, and the firm today is still the only exclusive manufacturer of this movement. A pioneer in Swiss watch manufacturing, Revue Thommen was founded in 1853 in Geneva and has a long tradition of fine watch making. Along with its Cricket series, the company is also a leader in aviation watches and chronographs. In 2001, the firm integrated its watch lines with the Grovana Watch Co. Ltd, continuing to make Revue Thommen movements for the traditional watch division.