$3,220
Henri Vaucher Guye, Locle, No. 1793. Produced circa 1870.Fine, hunting-cased, keyless, 18K gold pocket chronometer. six-body, “bassine et filets”, solid, engine-turned, gold hinged cuvette over glazed gold bezel to view the movement. white enamel with Roman numerals, outer minute divisions, subsidiary sunk seconds. Gold paste-set hands. 45 mm (20’’’), maillechort, bridge caliber, 20 jewels, pivoted detent chronometer escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel helical balance spring with terminal curves, gold wheel train.Movement signed.Diam. 54 mm. Notes This is one of the last watches Guye produced on his own. Around 1870 he founded the Guye & Barbezat Co., along with Barbezat-Baillod, which specialized in complicated watches. In the 20th century the Guye & Barbezat Co. (under the trade name Le Phare) became one of the largest manufacturers of repeaters. At the Amsterdam Exhibition in 1883, the company won one of only two Grand Diplomas of Honor awarded to the Swiss. The other was awarded to Patek, Philippe & Co..Bibliography: “Swiss Timepiece Makers”, Kathleen H. Pritchard, USA, 1997.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-03-24