29,500 HKD
“Patent Thermometer” Swiss, No. 88667. Made circa 1860. Fine and very unusual, two-time-zone, 14K gold pocket watch with center seconds and mercury Fahrenheit thermometer. Four-body, “bassine et filet”, polished bezel and band, engine-turned back cover with polished border and vacant cartouche. Gold, matte and foliate engraved, two meantime dials, one with radial Roman numerals and outer dot minute divisions, the other with radial Arabic numerals and outer dot minute divisions, outer dot seconds divisions, curved mercury thermometer in the lower half of the dial with Fahrenheit scale calibrated from 20 to 130 degrees. Blued steel “spade” hands. 46 mm., 20 1/2’’’, frosted gilt, the back plate cut-away with scroll edges, going barrel, lateral lever escapement, three-arm gold balance, blued steel flat balance spring, index regulator. Diam. 52 mm. Notes The present watch has the unusual feature of a mercury-filled glass tube thermometer as opposed to the more favored Houriet-type bimetallic strip thermometer usually fitted to pocket watches. The dual-time-zone is geared using an extra wheel mounted beneath a bridge on the dial plate and driven from the center wheel, the going barrel directly driving the other set of hands.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-11-25
