Live Auction 2453Important Watches
SWISS. A FINE AND UNUSUAL 18K GOLD AND ENAMEL HUNTER CASE CATHEDRAL MINUTE REPEATING KEYLESS LEVER WATCH MADE FOR THE INDIAN MARKET
Lot 172

SWISS. A FINE AND UNUSUAL 18K GOLD AND ENAMEL HUNTER CASE CATHEDRAL MINUTE REPEATING KEYLESS LEVER WATCH MADE FOR THE INDIAN MARKET

UNSIGNED, DIAL SIGNED SWISS MADE, NO. 5927, CIRCA 1900

Closed15 June 2011

Price Realised

USD 50,000

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SWISS. A FINE AND UNUSUAL 18K GOLD AND ENAMEL HUNTER CASE CATHEDRAL MINUTE REPEATING KEYLESS LEVER WATCH MADE FOR THE INDIAN MARKET
UNSIGNED, DIAL SIGNED SWISS MADE, NO. 5927, CIRCA 1900
Gilt-finished lever movement, 32 jewels, bi-metallic compensation balance, cathédrale minute repeating on two polished steel hammers onto two gongs, gold cuvette with engraved inscription Minute Repeater Cathédrale, white enamel dial, Roman numerals, blued steel spade hands, subsidiary seconds, large case decorated with chased scrolls and foliage, front lid with a painted enamel scene depicting a horse race with two riders in translucent polychrome enamel on the engine-turned ground, a lakeside scene to the back, both surrounded by a gold and translucent scarlet enamel floral and foliate decorated border, unsigned
58mm diam.

Specialist note

The present watch is fitted with a so-called Cathedral repeating mechanism which resembles the chimes of a cathedral bells.

The repeating mechanism of this watch consists of a high-tone and a low-tone gong. When the repeating is activated, first the number of hours are stroke by means of one of the two hammers on the low-tone gong, followed by the quarter hours with double strikes on both the low-tone and the high-tone gong, and finally the number of minutes which have elapsed since the last quarter-hour with one hammer on the high-tone gong.

The length of the gong in a standard repeating mechanism corresponds to almost precisely one turn in the movement whereas those of the "Cathedral" mechanism exceed the case circumference by at least one and a half, even two turns. Consequently, a much richer and fuller timbre is achieved.

This mechanism is now used in highly complicated wristwatches such as Patek Philippe's Sky Moon Tourbillon.