Live Auction 1410Important Watches
Louis Audemars. A rare 18K gold openface keyless lever watch with stoppable centre seconds and English case, made for the English market
Lot 102

Louis Audemars. A rare 18K gold openface keyless lever watch with stoppable centre seconds and English case, made for the English market

SIGNED L. AUDEMARS, BRASSUS & GENÈVE, NO. 134'945, CASE NUMBERED 134'945 AND STAMPED I.J.T.N. FOR ISAAC JABEZ THEO NEWSOME, MOVEMENT MADE CIRCA 1883, ENCASED CIRCA 1900

Closed9 November 2015

Price Realised

CHF 2,000

Considering selling a similar item?

Discover its value with a complimentary estimate from our specialists.

More Information

How to sell

Louis Audemars. A rare 18K gold openface keyless lever watch with stoppable centre seconds and English case, made for the English market
Signed L. Audemars, Brassus & Genève, no. 134'945, case numbered 134'945 and stamped I.J.T.N. for Isaac Jabez Theo Newsome, movement made circa 1883, encased circa 1900
Three quarter plate fully jewelled German silver movement, English lever escapement, large bimetallic compensation balance, diamond endstone, gold cuvette, white enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer scale calibrated for 300 units, stoppable centre seconds, large circular case, seconds stop/start button in the band, case and cuvette numbered and stamped I.J.T.N. for Isaac Jabez Theo Newsome and with Chester date letter for 1900, movement signed and numbered
59.5 mm. diam.


Specialist note


Louis Audemars regularly supplied custom-made watches to the English market, including special features required to meet English quality standards: a three quarter plate movement, English lever escapement and English cases. The case of the present watch was made by Newsome and Co., one of the leading English watchmakers and retailers of the period, originally founded by Isaac Jabez Theo Newsome and Samuel Yeomans.

The high quality of the present movement suggests that the ébauche was made by Louis Audemars before 1883 and taken over by the successor firm. It was then finished and encased in England. The movement and the case have the same serial number of "Louis Audemars & Co. Ltd.", founded in London as a successor company of the Louis Audemars firm in Switzerland liquidated in 1898/99.

Around 1895, Louis Philippe Audemars (b. 1867), son of Louis Audemars-Valette, moved to London to manage his father's subsidiary. After 1898/99 this firm was continued independently by Louis Philippe as his own English company. The watches were delivered by the Swiss firm of Louis Audemars and signed "Louis Audemars Brassus & Genève".