Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

The Ritz-carlton Hotel, Hong-kong, Jun 08, 2002

LOT 242

Ulysse Nardin, Locle, Suisse, No.126649, made in the 1940's, made for the English market.Very fine 18K gold hunting-cased, keyless minute-repeating watch with four-gong and four-hammer carillon playing the Big Ben Westminster chime.

HKD 156,000 - 195,000

EUR 23,000 - 28,000 / USD 20,000 - 25,000

Sold: HKD 230,000

C. Four-body, "bassine", polished, gold hinged cuvette. D. Silver with applied gold Arabic numerals and indexes, subsidiary seconds. Gold "baton" hands. M. 45 mm., rhodium-plated, 31 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, Breguet balance spring, repeating on four large, thick gongs by slide on the band.Signed on dial and movement.Diam. 55 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good

Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

An unusual watch. Among all the watches with the Westminster chime we have seen this one appears to be made with utmost attention paid to the tune and the sound. The tune adjustment is superb, the space between the notes perfectly even, the gongs are unusually thick giving exceptionally strong sound. The movement (No. 10569) was made in about 1902, and sold to England about 1923, when the case was punched with English import marks. In the late 1940's or early 1950's the watch was bought back, reumbered with the current serial number and fitted with a silver dial.