Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 50

Patek, Philippe & Cie., Genève, No. 170294, case No. 27 3605, made in 1912, sold on December 8, 1917. Extremely fine silver deck lever chronometer ?EXTRA? adjusted for the 1912 Geneva Observatory Timing Contest, with 36-hour power reserve indicator and Guillaume balance, used by the United States Navy, accompanied by Extract from the Archives.

CHF 20,000 - 25,000

EUR 14,000 - 17,000 / USD 15,000 - 19,000

Sold: CHF 23,000

C. Four-body, ?bassine?, polished, silver hinged cuvette. D. Heavy solid silver, bold champlevé Roman numerals, outer champlevé minute track, champlevé up-and-down sector at 12 o?clock, champlevé subsidiary seconds. Blued steel ?spade? hands. M. 47 mm. (21???), patented Cal. 18o, 20 jewels, straight line calibrated lever escapement, anibal-brass Guillaume balance with ?winged? arms, gold temperature adjustment screws and platinum mean time ones, special alloy Breguet balance spring with inner and outer terminal curve, diamond endstone, ?swan-neck? micrometric regulator. Signed on dial, case and movement. Diam. 61 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

Large movements with 18o, and sometimes, but rarely, with 18H calibers, were made to the highest possible standards. They were specially adjusted by such masters as Henri Wehrli, J. Golay-Audemars, F. Modoux, and C. Batifolier, who were the best paid workers in the watch industry. Watches adjusted by them, especially those awarded prizes at the Observatory Contests, were several times more expensive than the regular ones. The present watch is exceptionally well made, adjusted for the Observatory Contest, and engraved on the pillar plate and bridge with the serial number, which was one of the prerequisites of the Observatory Contest rules. Every detail, such as the special Guillaume balance with small ?wings? at the arm for poising ?in the raw?, before the screws are put in, which assures that temperature compensation adjustment will not affect poising, superior polish of the steel parts, olive jewel holes, and the very light undercut escape wheel with raised teeth, shows that the watch was a special one.