Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, May 15, 2016

LOT 84

URBAN JURGENSEN 'THE KRUSENSTERN' CHRONOMETER ROSE GOLD Urban Jurgensen, Copenhagen, No. XI made in 1812. Highly important, exquisitely made and very rare 18K rose gold pocket Chronometer with Arnold spring detent Chronometer escapment.

CHF 30,000 - 50,000

HKD 240,000 - 400,000 / USD 31,000 - 52,000

Sold: CHF 747,750

OUTER Two-body polished, massive case in 18K gold with punchmarked IFH in a heart for the case maker Johan Fridrich Hansemann,with ''Fra FR VI til Commandeur V Krusenstern'' engraved, INNER Two-body, "bassine", polished, 18K gold with punchmarked IFH. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, large subsidiary seconds, Blue steel spade hands. 49 mm. frosted gilt, bridge calibre, fusee with chain and Harrison's maintaining power, gold train, winding square surrounded by a dust pipe fixed on the top of the unusual bridge for the fusee and barrel. Arnold's spring detent escapement mounted on a platform to be easily adjusted by a screw. Cut bimetallic compensation balance with two arms, peripheral gold temperature adjustment screws, balance and escape wheel pivots jeweled in screwed chatons, helical balance spring.


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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

Dial, case and movement signed. DIAM. 60 mm. THICKNESS 25 mm. This watch is illustrated in The Jurgensen Dynasty by JOHN KNUDSEN, p. 100, 101 and 102. In the book there is an interesting mention of this exact watch: The famous Russian astronomer COUNCILLOR OF STATE SHUBERT wrote about this chronometer, in the journal of the IMPERIAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES in Saint-Petersburg "....Mr URBAN JURGENSEN in Copenhagen constructs chronometers which are equal to the best English ones. One of these chronometers in gold, made with the greatest accuracy and the highest levels of luxury, which the KING OF DENMARK commissioned from Urban Jurgensen to be presented to the first person in Russia to sail around the world, COMMANDER KRUSENSTERN, therefore bears the engraving: FROM FREDERIK VI TO COMMANDER VON KRUSENSTERN. Its rate was tested for over a month by our observatory at the Imperial Academy of Sciences. In the trials, the chronometer's precision was found to be so excellent that only few chronometers could be placed on a par with it."