Important Watches, Collectors’ Wristw...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Nov 14, 2004

LOT 251

A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte b/Dresden, No. 73992, made in 1915 for the Imperial Austrian Hydrographic Service in Pola. Exceptionally fine and rare silver, ALS quality, half-sec- onds, keyless pocket chronometer with pivoted detent escapement which obtained a Rating Certificate from the Deutsche Seewarte Hamburg.

CHF 50,000 - 70,000

EUR 30,000 - 45,000 / USD 40,000 - 55,000

C. Four-body, "Jürgens", polished with engine-turned back, silver hingedcuvette. D. Silvered, champlevé radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions with five-minute/seconds Arabic markers. Blued steel"spade" hands. M. 48.2 mm (21'''), frosted gilt, half-plate, going barrel, train arranged in such a way that the 4th wheel is in the centerallowing for the center seconds, 20 jewels, escapement withendstones, diamond on the balance, Grossmann type pivoted detent chronometer escapement, cut bimetallic Glashütte type compen-sation balance with gold timing and mean-time screws, blued steel Breguet balance spring with Philipps terminal curves, "swan-neck"micrometric regulator, pin-set.Signed on dial, case and movement.Diam. 62 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 6 - 01

Notes

Between 1915 and 1925 Lange made approximately forty of these center-seconds chronometers. All were cased in silver and most, like this one, were delivered to the Austrian Hydrographic Service in Pola. All were based on Grossmann's pivoted detent escapement, which derived from Louis Berthoud's. They were all extremely well made and well finished timepieces. This one, however, appears to be only one that obtained a rating certificate from the German Observatory, the famous Deutsche Seewarte in Hamburg. In 1921 the watch became the property of Mr. Carl Conrad of Brunn, who paid 4800 DM for it and additional 260 D M for the Deutsche Seewarte rating certificate. His name is engraved on the cuvette.