A TRIBUTE TO PRECISION AND COMPLICATE...

Hotel Nogalhilton Geneve, Nov 11, 2001

LOT 243

Ulysse Nardin, Locle, Suisse, No. 26165, finished in March 1938, sold in October 1938.Extremely fine and unique silver dead center-seconds keyless deck watch with one-second constant force escapement, accompanied by a certificate.

CHF 20,000 - 30,000

USD 12,500 - 19,000

Sold: CHF 23,000

C. Four-body, "bassine et filets", polished, soild, silver hinged cuvette. D. White enamel, bold radial Roman numerals, outer minute ring, subsidiary sunk seconds. M. 54 mm (24'''), rhodiumed, "fausses côtes" decoration, 19 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, anibal-brass Guillaume balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, ingenious spring-loaded constant force escapement beating dead seconds, controlled by a three-toothed wheel mounted on the escape wheel pinion and released by the constnt force mechanism. The unlocking mechanism is controlled by an anchor-like lever and a cam mounted on the escape wheel arbor. The constant force is applied to the escapement by a hairspring-like spring, and the impulse is directly from the escape wheel.Signed on dial, case and movement.Diam. 64 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

The watch employs a very simple and rare constant force mechanism allowing the subsidiary seconds hand to jump every second, simultaneously winding the escape wheel. Although it utilizes the same concept that Patek Philippe used in their dead second watches with "foudroyante" (see lot No. 67 in Antiquorum's catalogue "A Tribute to Precision and Complicated Timepieces", November 11, 2001), Nardin modified the system considerably to consolidate it with the constant force escapement, consisting ofn escape wheel mounted loosely on the escape wheel pinion, wound by a small hairspring-like spring and released by a pivoted lever controlled by a cam mounted on the escape wheel arbor.