OMEGAMANIA
Geneva, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Du Rhône, Apr 15, 2007
LOT 110
SILVER OBSERVATORY ?TOURBILLON?
Omega, Usine de Geneve "Tourbillon", No. 10595936, Cal. 30 I. The 4th of 12 movements made in
1947, then entered in the 1948 Geneva Observatory trials, where it scored 806 points and again in
1952, where it scored 735 points. One of seven movements cased and sold in 1987.
Extremely rare and very important, sterling silver gentleman's wrist chronometer with a 7 1/2 minute Tourbillon regulator.
This watch is sold with a box, Certificate of Authenticity and 2-year Omega guarantee.
CHF 100,000 - 150,000
EUR 65,000 - 95,000 / USD 85,000 - 125,000
Sold: CHF 215,750
C. Three-body, solid, polished, transparent back, lapidated bezel, concave lugs on the band at 4 o'clock a push-button for hand-setting. D. Matte silver with painted black Dauphine numerals, outer minute divisions and subsidiary seconds dial. Blued steel ?baton? hands. M. Cal. 30.I.1947, 2/3 plate, maillechort, 25 jewels, 7.5 minute "tourbillon" regulator, two-part rhodium plated brass cage held by three case-screws, Guillaume balance, Breguet overcoil, 18,000 vibration/hour, index regulator on one of the cage's arms, Dial and movement signed. Diam. 36 mm. Thickness 11.5mm. Property of a Swiss Lady
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: |
|
Case: 2 |
Very good |
Movement: 2 |
Very good |
Dial: 2-01 |
Very good HANDS Original |
Notes
Guillaume Balance
In 1899, Dr. Charles Edouard Guillaume noticed that steel with an addition of 44.4% nickel had a negative square coefficient
of thermal expansion. This alloy, combined with brass in bimetallic lamina, makes its expansion close to quadratic. Balances
with bimetallic rims made of anibal (anibal, an alloy invented by Guillaume, stands for Acier au Nickel pour BaLanciers)
and brass are usually called Guillaume balances, or, as their inventor called them, integral balances. When combined
with special balance springs, they exhibit remarkable temperature stability, on occasion not exceeding 1/50 second
per day at 1oC.