267,500 CHF
S. Smith & Son, London, No. 238-101, hallmarked 1904-05, retailed by Harrods. Exceptionally fine and unique 18K gold half-hunting cased free-sprung pocket chronometer with one-minute tourbillon regulator and 30-hour power reserve indicator. Four-body, "bassine à filet", heavy, polished, front cover with central aperture with champlevé blue enamel vertical Arabic chapter ring and inner minute divisions, gold hinged cuvette, antitheft swivel pendant made by "AB". Off-white, by master dialmaker Willis, Arabic numerals, outer minute divisions, subsidiary sunk up-and-down indicator at 6 o’clock, subsidiary sunk seconds at 12. Blued steel "double spade" hands. 47 mm (21’’’), by Nicole Nielsen, frosted gilt, half-plate, reversed fusee and chain, jeweled to the center, Harrison’s maintaining power, chain with a guard plate to protect the escapement in case of breakage, three-arm equidistant tourbillon carriage with gold poising screws, Earnshaw type spring detent escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with gold and platinum screws, blued steel free-sprung double overcoiled balance spring with inner and outer terminal curves.Signed on dial and movement by the retailer, case punched "SS" (Samuel Smith). Diam. 58 mm. Notes The present watch is one of a small number of tourbillons made by Smith & Sons at the beginning of the 20th century. With the exception of this one they all had lever escapements. This watch has everything a superior English chronometer from the
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-04-24
