13,225 CHF
Jules Jürgensen, Copenhagen, made in Switzerland, No. 4903, circa 1845. Very fine, extremely rare and probably unique, 18K gold quarter-repeating watch with alarm and three gongs. Four-body, "bassine et filets", polished back, engine-turned band, gold hinged cuvette. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions. Blued steel Breguet hands, "arrow" alarm hand. 40 mm (18’’’), frosted gilt, 40 jewels, straight line calibrated lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with Breguet balance spring, male key winding, repeating on gongs through activating slide in the band, alarm with its own gong.Signed on the cuvette.Diam. 47 mm. Notes This is the only known Jürgensen watch with these two complications. In addition, it has an extremely high finish with 40 jewels and a very finely executed escapement, and an alarm with its own gong. It was most likely made on special order for an important client. We would like to express our gratitude to Mr. John Knudsen, the author of a monography on the Jürgensen family, who has confirmed that to his knowledge this is the only existing Jürgensen watch combining repeater and alarm. Jules Frédéric Jürgensen (1808-1877). The son of Urban Jürgensen, and a very eminent watchmaker himself, Jules was born in Le Locle but as a child moved with his parents to Denmark. In 1830, after the death of his father, Jules and his brother Louis Urban took over the company. Three years later, in 1833 Jules returned to Le Locle and
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-04-24
