Contemporary Limited Edition and Mode...

New York, Grand Havana Room, Jun 22, 2000

LOT 204

Ulysse Nardin, Locle, Suisse, "Astrolabium Galileo Galilei", No. 137, Ref. 991.22, 1990's. Very fine and unusual, astronomic, water-resistant, self-winding, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with functions of the astrolabe, days and months, with leather strap and 18K yellow gold Ulysse Nardin buckle. Accompanied by a fitted box and certificate.

USD 11,000 - 13,000

Sold: USD 18,975

C. three body, solid, polished, rounded engraved bezel alternating Roman and Arabic numerals for the 24 hours, transparent case back with 4 screws, domed sapphire crystal, fluted overhanging lugs. D. blue and matte silver, gold off-center disk with divisions of the 12 signs of the zodiac, overlapping rings representing the following indications: the Equinoctial time, the local time, the months, the elevation and azimuth of the sun and the moon on the planisphere, the diurnal and nocturnal hours, the moon phases, the aspects in which the the sun and moon stand to each other. "Bâton" tritium-coated hands, three hands in shape of Moon, Sun and Dragon. M. Cal. UN-97, engraved brass, 33 jewels, movement and rotor with engraved decoration, lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compensating flat balance-spring. Case and movement signed. Diam. 38 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent

Case: 2

Very good

Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

(1985) Astrolabium Galileo Galilei This wristwatch was the first of the Trilogy series, which was introduced in 1985. Named after Galileo Galilei, this wristwatch is a tribute to his astronomical discoveries. This timepiece was the first in the world to have all of the following complications: time of day; perpetual calendar; moon phases; moonrise and moonset; sunrise and sunset; dawn and dusk; signs of the zodiac; and Solar and Lunar eclipses. The most complicated function is the ability of the watch to indicate the positions of sun, moon and stars, as seen from the Earth. Also shown on the dial is the Tropic of Capricorn. All of the numerous features of the watch are controlled through the single winding crown. Immediately after, due to its complexity as it was based on the astrolabe, it was featured on the cover of the Guinness Book of World Records as well as cited within the book. Galileo Galilei (1564 -1642) Galieo Galilei, Italian, demonstrated use of the telescope to discover that the planets had moons, the Moon had craters and the Sun had spots. He championed the idea that the planets moved around the Sun and supported this theory with his use of the telescope. His observations of the movements of the moons and the planets changed the notions of the heavens and influenced the future of astronomy. Galileo Galilei is also attributed with discovering the principle of isochronism in the early 1600's. Galileo claimed that for pendulums of equal lengths, the oscillation time is constant, isochronous, regardless of the amplitude. Galileo applied this theory to a clock by inventing a clock that was incredibly precise, without error. Christians Huygens demonstrated mathematically that isochronism only applies to cycloidal pendulums. In 1658, Huygens claimed he had discovered how to apply the pendulum to timing devices. These claims to discovery of the application of a pendulum led to an ongoing controversy.