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Hotel Nogalhilton Geneve, Nov 11, 2001

LOT 13

TimekeeperLepine Invenit et Fecit à Paris, No. 6131,circa 1805.Fine and rare 20K rose gold pocket watch with virguleescapement.

CHF 9,000 - 11,000

USD 5,500 - 7,000

Sold: CHF 14,375

C. Two-body, "Directoire", No. 946 by Joly, polished, reeded bezels, concealed hinge, gilt brass hinged and spring-loaded cuvette mounted to the movement ring. D. White enamel, gold Breguet numerals, number "1" in an oval gold frame, gold outer minute divisions. Gold Breguet hands. Counter-enamel signed Borel. M. Gilt brass, Lepine caliber with standing barrel, virgule escapement, gold three-arm jeweled balance, blued steel balance spring.Signed on the dial and cuvette, case stamped with French marks used between 1798 and 1808 and JLJ (Joly) in lozenge.Diam. 56 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 12 - 01

Notes

The inscription "Invenit et Fecit" refers to the revolutionary movement design, known today as "Lepine caliber" which employs separate bridges for each wheel in place of full plate covering the entire mechanism. The invention of the virgule escapement (circa 1760), sometimes called the Lepine escapement, is generally credited to Lepine.The watch is listed in "Jean-Antoine Lepine, horloger (1720-1814)" by Adolphe Chapiro, Paris, 1988, p. 265.This lot is a fine example of a typical Lepine watch illustrating his main inventions: the case with concealed hinge, his caliber with free-standing barrel, linear stop-work, and virgule escapement.