28,125 HKD
L. Leroy & Cie, Anti-Magnetic chronograph L. Leroy & Cie a Paris, “Chronographe Ecran Paramagnétique”, No. 68521, case No. 146857. Made in 1911. Very fine and extremely rare, very early antimagnetic, 18K yellow gold, keyless pocket watch with chronograph and instantaneous 30-minute register. Accompanied by the original Leroy fitted box. Three-body, bassine, polished, the back with engraved monogram, the interior engraved "temoignage de sympathie et de reconnaissance les mandataires et les acheteurs, Janvier 1912", button for start/stop and returnto- zero of the chronograph in the crown, soft iron band surrounding the movement. Paramagnetic snap-on cuvette probably made of tantalum. White enamel, Breguet numerals, outer minute divisions, outermost fifths of a second chronograph divisions, subsidiary 30-minute register at 12 o’clock, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock. Gold spade hands. 41 mm, 18’’’, frosted gilt, 21 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with gold and platinum screws, palladium Breguet balance spring, index regulator. Dial and cuvette signed. Diam. 51.5 mm Notes This is a very early antimagnetic watch; the first antimagnetic pocket watches were sold in 1915 by Vacheron & Constantin, though there had been some experimentation as early as 1846. The present watch appears to pre-date those of Vacheron and shows that Leroy made antimagnetic watches very early. The watch is protected from magnetic fields by a soft iron band
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2010-10-09
