Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 24, 1999

LOT 131

Dd. Fh. Othenin Girard, (La Chaux-de-Fonds), Swiss, circa 1800. Fine and unusual 18K gold, quarter repeating watch with alarm, date and special escapement.

CHF 8,000 - 10,000

C. Three body, "Empire carrure ronde " with reeded band, polished. Hinged gilt-brass cuvette. D. White enamel eccentric with Breguet numerals, inner concentric gold star shaped alarm setting disc and subsidiary date at the top. Blued-steel Breguet hands. M. Gilt-brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement with jewelled pallets, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring, giltbrass continental cock with agate end-stone, pierced and engraved with the letters: "D.F.O.G.I.R.A.R.D." Repeating on gongs by depressing the pendant, the alarm also striking on gongs. Signed on the dial, cuvette and back plate. Diam. 61 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 4

Fair
Movement: *4

Fair

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 4-6-01

Fair

Slightly oxidized

HANDS Original

Notes

The alarm is adjusted in the same way as on the early Neuchatel and Comtoise clocks, by setting the alarm disc according to the number of hours before the alarm and not for the alarm time. Swiss watches with a verge escapement on which the pallets are made of ruby, are extremely rare, most of them were produced in England or in France by Breguet but for dead-beat verge escapements only.