Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 135

Patek, Philippe & Cie., Genève, No. 27701, made for the Spanish market circa 1867.Very fine and very rare 18K gold and enamel hunting-cased lever pocket chronometer with free-sprung spherical balance spring.

CHF 15,000 - 20,000

EUR 10,000 - 14,000 / USD 11,000 - 15,000

Sold: CHF 18,400

C.Four-body, "bassine et filets", back with applied gold bear head surrounded by hunting trophies and oak leaves, border decorated with repeated scrolling and foliate patterns, some with black champlevé enamel, band with repeated pattern, front similar with applied gold initials, gold hinged cuvette. D. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary sunk seconds. Blued steel "spade" hands. M. 45 mm (20'''), Cal. 19H, frosted gilt, 20 jewels, straight line calibrated lever escapemet, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with gold screws, freesprung spherical balance spring, Philippe's 8th winding/setting system with threaded stem.Signed on the cuvette, punched with makers' mark inside front cover, movement and case punched with the same number.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3 - 15
Movement: 3*
Dial: 3 - 6 - 12 - 01

Notes

As in the previous lot, the company used the 19H caliber, which they employed for their best pocket chronometers.The spherical balance springs was rarely used by Patek Philippe; fewer than eight are known to exist.The spherical balance spring was developed by Jacques-Frédéric Houriet (1743-1830) following many years of reflection on the subject of isochronism. After experimentation with a variety of forms of the balance spring, he judged the spherical one to be perfect.