Importantes Montres de Collection

Geneva, Nov 13, 2011

LOT 371

WILLIAM WILLIAMS, 1/16TH SECOND STOPWATCH William Williams, 32 Rock St., Bury, No. 1914, the case with Chester hallmarks for 1890-91. Very rare and fine, silver and pink gold, keyless stopwatch capable of measuring intervals as short as 1/16 of a second, made to the design of William?s English patent of March 26, 1890.

CHF 2,000 - 3,000

USD 2,200 - 3,300 / EUR 1,500 - 2,500

Sold: CHF 2,875

C. Four-body, ?bassine et fi lets?, master mark JE, polished, pink gold hinges, stop-slide, and hand-setting nib. Hinged silver cuvette. D. Off-white, radial Roman numerals, outer minute and seconds divisions, outermost second divisions calibrated to 960 units, subsidiary sunk 1/16th seconds dial. Gold spade hands. M. 49 mm, frosted gilt 3/4-plate, 17 jewels, some in screwed chatons, fast-beating 60° lateral counterpoised lever escapement, three-arm gold balance, fl at balance spring, index regulator. Dial and movement signed. Diam. 58 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-8-01

Good

Slightly scratched

HANDS Original

Notes

Lot 371 The Swiss patent for the ?Montre Mystérieuse? was published on January 24th, 1889. The description with diagrams describes this model as ?a watch where the movement is invisible and the body of the watch is composed of transparent glass?. The hour hand is driven by one glass rotated by teeth around its perimeter, the minute hand by a very small wheel at the back of the hands engaging with the hour wheel.