Fine Watches Including Masterworks of Time, Collector's Watches
Fine Watches Including Masterworks of Time, Collector's Watches
Property from the Masterworks of Time Collection
Charles Frodsham, London
A gold hunting cased keyless lever 7½-minute flying tourbillon watch with split seconds chronograph and 60-minute register Movement circa 1917, no. 09765 case hallmarked 1904, no. 09765
Lot Closed
September 16, 04:32 PM GMT
Estimate
6,000 - 8,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Property from the Masterworks of Time Collection
Charles Frodsham, London
A gold hunting cased keyless lever 7½-minute flying tourbillon watch with split seconds chronograph and 60-minute register
Movement circa 1917, no. 09765 case hallmarked 1904, no. 09765
• Movement: gilded frosted 2/3 plate, lever escapement mounted to the tourbillon carriage, the carriage completing one revolution every 7½ minutes, free-sprung bi-metallic compensation balance, blued steel spring with overcoil, diamond endstone, steel chronograph work partially visible to the backplate, split mechanism beneath dial, signed Cha. Frodsham by Appointment to the King, 27 South Molton Street, London, AD.Fmsz and engraved with gold medals of honour
• Dial: off-white Willis-type enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer chronograph track with Arabic numerals, two sunken subsidiary dials for constant seconds and 60-minute register, blued steel spade hands, gold and blued steel hands for chronograph, signed Charles Frodsham 09765, AD.Fmsz
• Case: 18ct gold plain polished case, plain polished cuvette, pushers for chronograph and split to the band, gold pendant and bow, pusher for handset with protective shoulders, hallmarked London 1904, front and back covers numbered 09765, all covers stamped RN for Robert Benson North within rectangular cameo, pendant with maker's mark A.B.
diameter 55mm
It would appear that this is currently the only known example of a split seconds chronograph watch by Frodsham with a 7 1/2 minute flying tourbillon carriage. Interestingly the case dates to 1904 yet the address engraved to the backplate is one that Charles Frodsham & Co. moved to in 1915, and the serial number of the movement would suggest a date of completion in c.1917. The disparity in date suggests that the case was re-used by Frodsham; such re-use of a high quailty case is not unheard of - another such disparity of case and movement is known for a further Frodsham of similar serial date to the present piece. As the Frodsham workbooks for this particular period are lacking and no Kew examination was originally undertaken for the present watch, it is not possible to shed further light on this watch's early history.
We would like to thank Charles Frodsham & Co. for their help in the research of this piece.