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Lot Essay
The elegant simplicity in appearance of the present watch belies its exceptional technical superiority. Only a handful of elite watchmakers had the skills to craft such a sophisticated tourbillon mechanism. Among them, the name Pellaton holds a special place, with Albert Pellaton-Favre (1932-1914) and his son James César Pellaton (1873-1954). The Pellaton tourbillon carriage with its three equidistant arms is one of the few famous historical tourbillon cage designs that are so distinctive that they are known simply by the names of their creators.
James C. Pellaton
Jämes Cäsar Pellaton, better known as James C. Pellaton, born in Le Locle in 1873, is one of the most esteemed 20th century maker of tourbillon carriages. He learned his craft from his father Albert Pellaton-Favre (1832-1914), also a highly respected tourbillon maker. In his pamphlet ‘le Tourbillon’ James Pellaton claims being the only (Swiss) tourbillon maker between 1908 (year his father retired) and 1922, with the exception of a few pieces made by his students under his supervision.
James Pellaton's life was dedicated to his passion, the development of tourbillons, which included the at the time smallest tourbillon watch ever made with a diameter of only 23.7 mm. in 1926, today in the Watch Museum of Le Locle, Switzerland.
The tourbillon carriages manufactured by James and Albert Pellaton, including around 35 examples alone for Patek Philippe (including one for the famous American industrialist James Ward Packard), are a class apart in the field of precision horology. In addition to the outstanding results obtained, these timepieces are distinguished by their aesthetic concept combined with the highest technical perfection and craftsmanship.
Other celebrated manufacturers to which Pellaton supplied his tourbillon carriages include Girard-Perregaux for their famous three bridge tourbillon watches, Ulysse Nardin, Nicole Nielsen & Co., as well as watches especially ordered by Charles Frodsham for the prominent American banker James Pierpont Morgan.
Pellaton was a highly appreciated teacher at the Technicum Le Locle, and contributed with his exceptional knowledge in the field of horology and his outstanding skills as a teacher to the excellent reputation of this watchmaker school. In 1925 he was promoted director and remained in this position until his retirement in 1939.
For his outstanding work in the field of horology Pellaton received numerous awards and titles, amongst them "Doctor Honoris Causa" of the University of Neuchâtel on 12 November 1938. In 1942 he was appointed Honorary Member of the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) in recognition of outstanding services made to the science of watchmaking and for which he received an award in 1946 for "exceptional artistic work". Jämes Pellaton passed away in Le Locle on 11 January 1954 at the age of 81 years.
The Tourbillon
On November 10th, 1801, horological legend Abraham Louis Breguet (1747-1823) received a patent for his ingenious tourbillon invention. Breguet designed the tourbillon (or whirlwind) to compensate for fluctuations and errors in time measurement caused by the position a watch is placed in. For example, watches with traditional movements may keep excellent time when resting on a desk horizontally, but when that same watch is placed vertically in a pocket, gravity affects the frequency or rate of the escapement) and thus its accuracy. Breguet's invention compensated for these gravitational effects by placing the escapement in a revolving carriage. As the tourbillon carriage revolves (usually one entire revolution per minute), its position constantly changes and consequently the fluctuations in rate caused by gravity are averaged out. Once a tourbillon watch is properly adjusted, the effects of gravity are essentially nullified, regardless of how it is positioned.
James C. Pellaton
Jämes Cäsar Pellaton, better known as James C. Pellaton, born in Le Locle in 1873, is one of the most esteemed 20th century maker of tourbillon carriages. He learned his craft from his father Albert Pellaton-Favre (1832-1914), also a highly respected tourbillon maker. In his pamphlet ‘le Tourbillon’ James Pellaton claims being the only (Swiss) tourbillon maker between 1908 (year his father retired) and 1922, with the exception of a few pieces made by his students under his supervision.
James Pellaton's life was dedicated to his passion, the development of tourbillons, which included the at the time smallest tourbillon watch ever made with a diameter of only 23.7 mm. in 1926, today in the Watch Museum of Le Locle, Switzerland.
The tourbillon carriages manufactured by James and Albert Pellaton, including around 35 examples alone for Patek Philippe (including one for the famous American industrialist James Ward Packard), are a class apart in the field of precision horology. In addition to the outstanding results obtained, these timepieces are distinguished by their aesthetic concept combined with the highest technical perfection and craftsmanship.
Other celebrated manufacturers to which Pellaton supplied his tourbillon carriages include Girard-Perregaux for their famous three bridge tourbillon watches, Ulysse Nardin, Nicole Nielsen & Co., as well as watches especially ordered by Charles Frodsham for the prominent American banker James Pierpont Morgan.
Pellaton was a highly appreciated teacher at the Technicum Le Locle, and contributed with his exceptional knowledge in the field of horology and his outstanding skills as a teacher to the excellent reputation of this watchmaker school. In 1925 he was promoted director and remained in this position until his retirement in 1939.
For his outstanding work in the field of horology Pellaton received numerous awards and titles, amongst them "Doctor Honoris Causa" of the University of Neuchâtel on 12 November 1938. In 1942 he was appointed Honorary Member of the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) in recognition of outstanding services made to the science of watchmaking and for which he received an award in 1946 for "exceptional artistic work". Jämes Pellaton passed away in Le Locle on 11 January 1954 at the age of 81 years.
The Tourbillon
On November 10th, 1801, horological legend Abraham Louis Breguet (1747-1823) received a patent for his ingenious tourbillon invention. Breguet designed the tourbillon (or whirlwind) to compensate for fluctuations and errors in time measurement caused by the position a watch is placed in. For example, watches with traditional movements may keep excellent time when resting on a desk horizontally, but when that same watch is placed vertically in a pocket, gravity affects the frequency or rate of the escapement) and thus its accuracy. Breguet's invention compensated for these gravitational effects by placing the escapement in a revolving carriage. As the tourbillon carriage revolves (usually one entire revolution per minute), its position constantly changes and consequently the fluctuations in rate caused by gravity are averaged out. Once a tourbillon watch is properly adjusted, the effects of gravity are essentially nullified, regardless of how it is positioned.