Important Collector's Wristwatches, P...

New York, Sep 17, 2009

LOT 268

Astronomical Set of Three Watches, No. 086 Ulysse Nardin, Le Locle, set of three 18K yellow gold wristwatches. Made circa 1994. Accompanied by three fitted boxes and a large mahogany winding box for three watches, certificates, and instruction booklets.

A. ?Astrolabium Galileo Galilei" No. 086, Ref. 951-22. Very fine and unusual, astronomic, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with astrolabe, days and months, and an 18K yellow gold Ulysse Nardin buckle. C. Three-body, solid, polished, transparent case back with four screws, rounded bezel graduated with engraved alternating Roman and Arabic numerals for the 24 hours, central cylindrical lugs, sapphire crystal. D. Gray and silver, off-center gold disk with division for the 12 signs of the Zodiac, overlapping rings representing the following: equinoctial time, local time, the months, signs of the zodiac, the elevation and azimuth of the sun and the moon on the planisphere, the diurnal and nocturnal hours, the moon phases, the aspect of the sun and the moon in relation to each other. Luminous yellow gold baton hands. M. Cal. UN-97, hand engraved, gilt, 33 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self-compensating flat balance spring. Case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 13 mm.
B. "Tellurium Johannes Kepler", No. 086, Ref. 871-99. ` Very fine and unusual, astronomic, two-time zone, self-winding, water-resistant to 30 m., 18K yellow gold wristwatch with perpetual calendar, moon phases, signs of the Zodiac, sun and moon eclipses, 24 hours, the view of the Earth as seen from the North Pole and a yellow gold Ulysse Nardin buckle. C. Three-body, solid, polished, rounded bezel engraved with blue enameled Arabic numerals for the hours and 4 blue enameled tabs with Roman numerals at the quarter hours, transparent case back, fluted lugs, domed sapphire crystal. D. Blue cloisonné enamel, central disc depicting the continents, surrounding gold ring with engraved Arabic numerals for the 24 hours of a second time zone. Spring overlapping central disc, bending according to various times of the year, separating the part of the Earth illuminated by the sun from the part in darkness and indicating sunrise and sunset. Outer ring with the months and 12 signs of the Zodiac. Rotating moon representing its phases. Dragon head and tail hand indicating months and Zodiac signs respectively. Two yellow gold and enamel floating flanges indicate hours and minutes, moon and dragon pointers. M. Cal. UN-87, rhodium-plated, hand-engraved, 64 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compensating flat balance spring, yellow gold rotor. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 43 mm. Thickness 15 mm.
C. ?Planetarium Copernicus? No. 086, Ref. 801-22. Made in the 1990's. Very fine and unusual, astronomic, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with functions of the planetary cycle, days, months, zodiac signs and moon phases and an 18K yellow gold Ulysse Nardin buckle. C. Three-body, solid, polished, central cylindrical lugs, stepped rounded bezel with engraved radial Roman numerals for the 12 hours, transparent back, gold screwed bars, domed sapphire crystal divided into 12 sections that start from the center (the Earth) and radiate outward in a spider design. D. Six revolving meteorite rings engraved with the names of 5 planets, each on a gold cartouche fixed with a central disc representing the Sun; the Earth disc fixed to one of the meteorite rings attached to the Moon which rotates around the Earth, outer gold ring engraved with the 12 signs of the zodiac and the months. Luminous yellow gold baton hands. M. Cal. UN 80, gilt, hand-engraved, 33 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self-compensating flat balance spring, white gold decorated and skeletonized rotor. Case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 13 mm.