Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, May 10, 2015

LOT 156

ZENITH CARILLON GRANDE SONNERIE TRIP MINUTE REPEATER KING UMBERTO I OF ITALY PRESENTATIOn WITH ORIGINAL PRESENTATION LETTER Zenith, "Repetition a Minutes Grande Sonnerie & Carillon", case No. 088133. Made circa 1900. Extremely fine and very rare, trip minute-repeating, 18K gold, painted on enamel and diamond-set keyless, two-train, carillon grande sonnerie clockwatch with three hammers and three gongs. Accompanied by the original manuscript letter to Signor Luigi Scuotto, a Neopolitan arms maker from the Secretary of the King dated Rome, 23rd March, 1894 and by original King Umberto I fitted box.

CHF 15,000 - 20,000

HKD 120,000 - 160,000 / USD 16,000 - 21,000

Sold: CHF 32,500

Four body, bassine, matte, the hinged and sprung front cover with the champlevé enameled diamond-set coat of arms of Umberto I, King of Italy. Hinged gold cuvette engraved Grand Prix Paris 1900. White enamel, Arabic numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds. Gold Spade hands. 20"', matte gilt, double train with differential winding, 23 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring with overcoil, index regulator, striking the hours and quarters on three gongs with three hammers, centrifugal governor between the dial and dial plate, Silence/Sonnerie selection lever protruding from the bezel, repeating activated by a trip push-piece in the band and by original King Umberto I fitted box.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2-19

Very good

Dent(s)
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-70-01

Good

ENAMEL AND VARIOUS TYPES OF DECORATION Hairline

HANDS Original

Notes

Dial case and movement signed. DIAM. 55 mm. The present watch is a particularly fine example of the Zenith minute-repeating carillon clockwatch. This type of minute-repeating Grande Sonnerie clockwatch movement, with carillon on three gongs with three stacked hammers but without Petite Sonnerie, were usually commercialized by Zenith using the Cesar Racine patent. The leter included with the present watch sent to the weapon maker Luigi Scuotto describes how the King was so pleased with his presentation of a new type of sword scabbard that he would like to present to Signor Scuotto a "gold watch and chain with the initials of the King in diamonds". It is likely that Signor Scuotto did not receive his gift however until at least 1900 as the watch cuvette is engraved with the Grand Prix of that year. King Umberto I (1844-1900) Was born on March 14, 1844, in Turin (Piedmont), Kingdom of Sardinia, Duke of Savoy and King of Italy. His marriage to his cousin Margherita Teresa Giovanna, Princess of Savoy, on April 22, 1868, and the birth of their son, the future Vittorio Emanuele II , on November 11, 1869, also gained him public sympathy in spite of prevailing antimonarchist sentiment. Umberto I led his country out of its isolation and into the Triple Alliance with Austria and Germany. He supported nationalistic and imperialistic policies that led to disaster for Italy and helped create the atmosphere in which he was assassinated in Monza by an anarchist on July 29, 1900.