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Lot 155
Minerva. A fine and attractive 18K gold chronograph wristwatch
Signed Minerva, Antimagnetic, case no. 713'779, circa 1940
Closed11 November 2019
Price Realised
CHF 2,000
More Information
Specialist note
This endangered species strap is shown for display purposes only and is not for sale. The watch will be supplied with a calf leather strap.
The present watch is a beautiful example of 1940s styling with bold wide stepped and curved fluted lugs. It impresses by its uncluttered silvered chronograph dial with large subsidiary dials, applied gold dot indexes and gilt Arabic half-hour numerals.
Founded in 1858 by Charles-Yvan Robert and Hyppolyte Robert of Villeret, what would eventually become the Minerva Watch brand in 1887, was initially a "tablisseurs" of watches, an assembler of watches from parts manufactured elsewhere. It wasn't until 1902, under the leadership of C. Robert's sons, Charles-Auguste and Georges-Louis, that Minerva became a watch manufacturer with its own engineering workshops.
The earliest Minerva wristwatch was made in 1909, but the watch company's greatest success came in 1923 with the introduction of the calibre 20, a movement that perfectly illustrates the classic and refined architecture of wrist chronographs of that era, with the iconic “V”-shaped bridge, column-wheel mechanism, a Breguet balance-spring and 17 jewels. With the launch of this watch, the company earned its reputation as a manufacturer of complicated movements of exceptional quality. Minerva was bought by the luxury goods group Richemont in 2006.
The present watch is a beautiful example of 1940s styling with bold wide stepped and curved fluted lugs. It impresses by its uncluttered silvered chronograph dial with large subsidiary dials, applied gold dot indexes and gilt Arabic half-hour numerals.
Founded in 1858 by Charles-Yvan Robert and Hyppolyte Robert of Villeret, what would eventually become the Minerva Watch brand in 1887, was initially a "tablisseurs" of watches, an assembler of watches from parts manufactured elsewhere. It wasn't until 1902, under the leadership of C. Robert's sons, Charles-Auguste and Georges-Louis, that Minerva became a watch manufacturer with its own engineering workshops.
The earliest Minerva wristwatch was made in 1909, but the watch company's greatest success came in 1923 with the introduction of the calibre 20, a movement that perfectly illustrates the classic and refined architecture of wrist chronographs of that era, with the iconic “V”-shaped bridge, column-wheel mechanism, a Breguet balance-spring and 17 jewels. With the launch of this watch, the company earned its reputation as a manufacturer of complicated movements of exceptional quality. Minerva was bought by the luxury goods group Richemont in 2006.