11,500 HKD
August Von Loehr, Swiss made, No. 214, circa 1880. Fine and rare silver self-winding, square, “perpetual” watch with power reserve indication. Four-body, entirely engraved with masks, scrolling and foliage, silver hinged cuvette. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds at 10, up-and-down scale at 2. Gold “Louis XV” hands. Square, 38 x 38 mm. (17 x 17’’’), nickel, 15 jewels, lateral counterpoised lever escapement, cut-bimetalliccompensation balance with flat balance spring, jeweled T-shaped oscillating weight with steel banking pins, lever-set.Signed on the dial “Loehr Patent”, on cuvette “Patent perpetual No. 216”.Dim. 48 x 48 mm. Notes On April 12, 1878 August von Loehr of Vienna filed for a British patent for a self-winding watch with a special simple overwinding prevention system and a special setting mechanism. On July 13, 1878, he filed for a USA patent, which was granted on January 7, 1879 (No. 211280). Before Loehr’s invention, self-winding watches required an elaborate disengaging system when fully wound. Loehr overcame this problem in a very simple way by employing an elastic ratchet pawn.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-06-06
