DESCRIPTION:
APW - Waltham, minute repeater with split-seconds chronograph and 60-minute register, at least 17J, 16S, very heavy 18K gold original HC with gold cuvette as well as glazed observation cover over mvt, white enamel DS canister style (snap-on) dial, SW-LS, non-magnetic alloy balance and hairspring, fausses-côtes pattern nickel damascene, s#3793205. Gross weight of assembled watch 115.2 dwt (179.2 g). An important and exceedingly rare watch, we are only aware of the existence of two examples of the Waltham split-seconds minute repeater. The single other example we have encountered was sold by Sothebys in 2004 and is serial number 3793206 (consecutive to the presently offered watch) which was formerly a part of the Rockford Time Museum collection and is noted in Donald Hoke's "The Time Museum Historical Catalogue of American Watches." as having a case that is "reconstructed" with "new covers, bow, crown, & stem." In contrast, the presently offered example, serial number 3793205, is notable for its superb condition throughout including its very heavy original gold hunting case made by prestigious New York casemaker Jeannot & Shiebler. In all an exquisitely beautiful watch that has been owned by our consignor since the mid-1970s and ranks among the most exceptional American watches in existence; we are honored to offer it here to the collecting community in its first marketplace appearance in over 40 years.
CONDITION:
Mvt: Running, good repeat function and superb tone, during our rigorous testing we operated the repeat function numerous times and only a small handful of times we observed a striking of one minute apart from correct time, otherwise strikes were precise and complete, good chronograph and split function, good register function, virtually mint cosmetic mvt condition overall, superb lustrous surfaces with few small micro-fine scratches, very small fine scratch near main plate’s edge above serial number; virtually flawless dial with only a few micro-fine glaze scratches of negligible effect on appearance; mint hands, timekeeping and sweep hands are plum colored, 60-minute register hand is blue; case shows hardly any wear, a mild very shallow dent toward left perimeter of rear visible as a slight ripple in reflected light at this position; tight bow, crown shows hardly any wear; good glass crystals.
ESTIMATE:
$40000
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$60000
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