174,000 CHF
Urban Jürgensen, No. 353/VIII, made in 1818, sold to Count Adam Wilhelm Moltke. Exceptionally fine and rare large silver free-sprung deck chronometer with helical gold balance spring, and regulator dial in original two-tier fitted mahogany box. Four-body, "Consular", by master casemaker Johan Friedrich Hansemann, with hinged silver cuvette, polished, back with winding aperture.Box: two-tier with a portion lined with green velvet that can be lifted and tilted to display the watch in a vertical position, sliding bottom panel for a key and chart, lock in front. Notes A superbly made watch which exemplifies Jürgensen's talent. This is the eighth of his famous series of chronometers. The escapement is based on Arnold's design. The brass escape wheel has cycloidal impulse faces. The detent is mounted to a gilded brass arm, which has micrometric adjustment, allowing for precision adjustment of the locking stone. Many were later converted to the Earnshaw type, and it is rare to find one which has survived in original condition.In his early years, Urban Jürgensen used cases made by Johan Friedrich Hansemann (1787-1843), a Danish goldsmith of German origin who became a Master in 1810. He made the cases for some of Jürgensen's best chronometers.John Arnold was the first to use gold balance springs, probably employing them as early as 1779. Both Jürgensen's teacher and future father-in-law, Jacques Frédéric Houriet and Breguet, experimented with gold balance springs, but it w
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-11-16
