Exceptional horologic works of art

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Oct 11, 2003

LOT 517

Patek, Philippe & Cie., Genève, No. 97197, made in 1893 and sold to Tiffany & Co. on July 31, 1893. Very fine and exceptionally rare, 18K gold, hunting-cased, keyless, double-train independent split-seconds chronograph watch with 30-minute recorder and with ?foudroyante? returning to zero and special overcoil safety device, accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

CHF 30,000 - 40,000

EUR 19,500 - 26,000

Sold: CHF 25,300

C. four-body, ?bassine?, polished, back with engraved monogram, winding crown acting as the chronograph button and a button at 11 o'clock for split-seconds. D. white enamel, Breguet numerals, outer minute track, outermost chronograph ring divided into fifths with red Arabic five-second/minutes, sunk ?diablotine? flying quarter seconds, sunk 30-minute recorder at 12 o'clock. Blued steel ?spade? hands. M. 40.6 mm (18''', nickel, ?fausses côtes? decoration, 30 jewels, calibrated straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, Breguet balance spring with special bar fixed to the cock on placed between the overcoil and the spring, Mairet tandem winding. Signed on dial, case and movement by the retailer.Diam. 52 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Watches with jump-seconds that return to zero are exceptionally rare; they require a special additional mechanism which, without moving the sweep seconds hand, allows the diablotine to start again and stop at zero.Patek Philippe made only a few watches with diablotine, most of them in the 27000 series. Only two are known from later series; this one and o. 124946 .Adrien Philippe was one of a group of watchmakers working on the ?Fly- Back? chronograph and diablotine. His invention was one of the symplest yet most efective solutions to the problem.