9,356,250 JPY
F. A.Robert Charrue, Swiss, No. 1936, completed in 1936. Exceptionally fine 18 ct. gold keyless watch with one minute chronometer tourbillon. Three piece, massive, "demi-bassine", polishecl and glazed bezels, matt band chased with laurel foliage highlighted in green. White enamel, Breguet numerals, subsidiary seconds. Blued-steel Breguet "antique" hands. 20-, nickelled with "fausse côtes" decoration, going barrel with gilt train, 11 jewels, 1 in sapphire, one minute tourbillon with 3-arm polished steel carriage, gold alloy escape wheel, spring detent, cut bimetallic balance, Philipps curb spring with index regulator. Polished steel bridge. Signed movement. In mint condition. Diam.53mm. Notes Fritz Robert-Charrue, born in 1908, was undoubtedly one of the finest watchmakers of his age. Apprenticed to James Pellaton, he Iater succeeded him as teacher and Director at the Technicum in Le Locle. Charrue was head of production for Doxa, anci Iater establishecl a watchmaking business in association with Lovaxy in Le Locle, which manufactured for Rolex. On the death of his associate, he organised a small firm producing skeletonished coin watches based on IWC movements. However, he is best remembered as the creator of the smallest pocket watch "tourbillon" ever made. The carriage itself was only 8 mm in diameter, and the movement 8 3/4" '; compared to the watch by James Pellaton which measured 10 1/2"'. Alongside this extraorclinary achievement, Charrue also completed
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1990-12-15