Exceptional Collectors Timepieces, Ho...

Geneva, May 15, 2005

LOT 175

Berthoud Frères, No. 96, circa 1813. Marine chronometer, produced in 1804, completed in Louis Berthoud's workshop after his death, under the direction of Henri Motel.

CHF 55,000 - 75,000

EUR 35,000 - 50,000 / USD 45,000 - 65,000

C. Double-body mahogany box with slide on the lid over theglazed observation aperture. Brass gimbal, the lead counter-poisedbowl with screwed glazed bezel. Brass case en forme detabatière. D. Silvered regulator type dial, with small Romanchapter for hours, subsidiary seconds below, outer minute ringon the border of the bezel. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. Frostedand gilt, brass full plate, fully jeweled, with conical pillarssecured by nuts with washers. Fusee with chain and maintain-ingpower, Berthoud pivoted detent escapement, three armedcompensation balance with three trapezoidal weights andtiming screws, blued steel helical balance spring.Signed on the dial.Dial diameter 80 mm.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3

Good
Dial: 3 - 5 - 01

Notes

At the height of his career, Pierre Louis Berthoud often constructed several chronometers at once. Thus, his fourth workshop journal reads, on 3 Florial an XII (23 April 1804), concerning chronometer No. 104: ?I believe I must here interrupt the construction of this type of watch. Counting from 90, this will make 12, since Nos. 96 and 97 cannot be included in this category of watch. The pinions and wheels, the fusees and barrels, the flanges and dials, like the cases, were thus all ordered the same day for all these pieces, from several watchmakers at once, in order to complete the assortments already in stock.? Thus were ordered: From Monsieur Bérard: 5 fusees and 5 barrels. From Monsieur Félix: 6 flanges and 7 cases, From Monsieur Vincent: 3 dials From Monsieur Paliard: all the necessary balances This habit led to a certain number of errors and confusion, partic-ularly since at the same time, he was called upon to restore and recondition for reselling, several older pieces. Thus, concerning pocket chronometer No. 96, he writes, on 23 February 1804: ?It previously bore the No. 44, but since it was necessary to enlarge it and to replace the silver case with one of gold, I preferred to use the next available serial number, especially since No. 44 is already doubled.? About this same piece, he further notes, on 29 Germinal an XII (19 April 1804): ?Due to an error on the part of the enam-eler, this is number 96, and the preceding one, with escape-ment by Monsieur Auger, is No. 97." It would seem, in fact, that Louis Berthoud made another mistake here, for chronometer No. 96 is in fact a ?montre marine à suspen-sion?, of ?medium size?, and, given its signature, it was certainly finished and sold around 1813, after the death of Louis Berthoud, under the direction of Henri Motel. This chronometer is the only watch known today bearing the signature ?Berthoud Frères?, and with a number lower than 150. It is almost identical to chronome-ter No. 215 of Berthoud Frères, which was described and illustrated in J.C. Sabrier?s book ?La Longitude en Mer à l?heure de Louis Berthoud et Henri Motel?, Editions Antiquorum, Genève, 1993.