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Lot Essay
Accompanied by original fitted brown leather presentation box stamped with the Besançon coat-of-arms, the inside inscribed L'Industrie Horlogère de Besançon à Mr. Armand Fallières Président de la République 14 Août 1910. Furthermore delivered with the duplicata of the Observatoire National de Besançon First Class Bulletin de Marche No. 78565, photocopies of the timing sheets, the article published in "La France Horlogère" of 15 September 1910, the Bulletin Chronomètrique of 1909-1910 in which the present watch was listed and information on the "Viper's Head" symbol.
This watch was presented to Armand Fallières, President of the Republic of France from 1906 - 1913, upon the occasion of his visit to the Besançon Watchmaking Exhibition on 14 August 1910.
This superb timepiece was the result of the close collaboration between the region's leading industries, watchmaking, case making and enamelling, combining a finely enamelled and decorated solid gold case of highest quality made by the renowned Léon Hatot with a state-of-the-art chronometer movement manufactured by Lipmann, adjusted by their most gifted precision adjuster A. Jaccard and awarded with a gold medal from the Besançon Observatory.
As of the end of the 18th century, Besançon, close to the Switzerland, became one of the most important centres of the French clock and watchmaking industries. The Astronomical Observatory of Besançon was founded in 1882 to support the growing local watchmaking industry and renowned manufacturers such as Breguet submitted their precision movements for chronometer contests.
Movements which had successfully passed the chronometer tests in Besançon were marked with the "Viper's Head", the position of this hand-stamped symbol indicating the relevant class.
Emmanuel Lipmann, one of the leading figures in Besançon's watch industry, founded in 1867 his company "Comptoir Lipmann", later known as Chronomètre Lip, one of the most important watch manufacturers in France. Their movements enjoyed an excellent reputation for quality, reliability and accuracy and were also supplied to other watch companies. The innovative firm was a pioneer in the development and manufacturing of electric watches.
Léon Hatot
Léon Hatot was born in 1882 in Chatillon-sur-Seine, France. Between 1895 and 1898 he studied at the School of Horology in Besançon between 1895 and 1898 followed by the Ecole des Beaux-Arts also in Besançon. In 1905, at the early age of 22, he was already running his own business, specializing in watch case engraving and rapidly established a workshop producing high quality watch cases and jewellery.
In order to supply his products to the principal jewellers of the rue de la Paix, such as Boucheron, Lacloche, Mauboussin, Van Cleef & Arpels, he opened a shop in Paris in 1922.
Léon Hatot died in 1953, leaving behind hundreds of original designs, bearing witness to the Maison Hatot's leading influence on the watch and jewellery styles of the first half of the 20th century.
Since 1999, Léon Hatot SA is one of the leading luxury brands of the prestigious Swatch Group.
This watch was presented to Armand Fallières, President of the Republic of France from 1906 - 1913, upon the occasion of his visit to the Besançon Watchmaking Exhibition on 14 August 1910.
This superb timepiece was the result of the close collaboration between the region's leading industries, watchmaking, case making and enamelling, combining a finely enamelled and decorated solid gold case of highest quality made by the renowned Léon Hatot with a state-of-the-art chronometer movement manufactured by Lipmann, adjusted by their most gifted precision adjuster A. Jaccard and awarded with a gold medal from the Besançon Observatory.
As of the end of the 18th century, Besançon, close to the Switzerland, became one of the most important centres of the French clock and watchmaking industries. The Astronomical Observatory of Besançon was founded in 1882 to support the growing local watchmaking industry and renowned manufacturers such as Breguet submitted their precision movements for chronometer contests.
Movements which had successfully passed the chronometer tests in Besançon were marked with the "Viper's Head", the position of this hand-stamped symbol indicating the relevant class.
Emmanuel Lipmann, one of the leading figures in Besançon's watch industry, founded in 1867 his company "Comptoir Lipmann", later known as Chronomètre Lip, one of the most important watch manufacturers in France. Their movements enjoyed an excellent reputation for quality, reliability and accuracy and were also supplied to other watch companies. The innovative firm was a pioneer in the development and manufacturing of electric watches.
Léon Hatot
Léon Hatot was born in 1882 in Chatillon-sur-Seine, France. Between 1895 and 1898 he studied at the School of Horology in Besançon between 1895 and 1898 followed by the Ecole des Beaux-Arts also in Besançon. In 1905, at the early age of 22, he was already running his own business, specializing in watch case engraving and rapidly established a workshop producing high quality watch cases and jewellery.
In order to supply his products to the principal jewellers of the rue de la Paix, such as Boucheron, Lacloche, Mauboussin, Van Cleef & Arpels, he opened a shop in Paris in 1922.
Léon Hatot died in 1953, leaving behind hundreds of original designs, bearing witness to the Maison Hatot's leading influence on the watch and jewellery styles of the first half of the 20th century.
Since 1999, Léon Hatot SA is one of the leading luxury brands of the prestigious Swatch Group.