Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 18, 1998

LOT 265

Dd. Fh. Othenin Girard, (La Chaux-de-Fonds), Swiss, circa 1800. Fine and unusual 18K gold, quarter repeating watch with alarm, date and special escapement.

CHF 12,000 - 14,000

C. Three body , "Empire carrure ronde" with reeded band, polished. Hinged gilt-brass cuvette. D. White enamel eccentric with Breguet numerals, inner concentric gold star shaped alarm setting disc and subsidiary date at the top. Blued-steel Breguet hands. M. Gilt-brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement with jewelled pallets, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring, giltbrass continental cock with agate end-stone, pierced and engraved with the letters: "D.F.O.G.I.R.A.R.D." Repeating on gongs by depressing the pendant, the alarm also striking on gongs. Signed on the dial, cuvette and back plate. Diam. 61 mm.


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

Very good
Case: 14

Damaged
Movement: *4

Fair

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 23-51

Later

Partially reprinted

Notes

The alarm is adjusted in the same way as on the early Neuchatel and Comtoise clocks, by setting the alarm disc according to the number of hours before the alarm and not for the alarm time. Swiss watches, the verge escapements with the pallets made of ruby, are extremely rare, most of them were procluced in England or in France by Breguet but for dead-beat verge escapements only.