S.Smith & Sons, No.1900-5: A rare and impressive 18ct. gold keyless openface minute repeating, split-second chronograph with one minute tourbillon pocketwatch in plain case with five-piece hinge and thiefproof swivel made by Nicole Nielsen, the Willis dial with Roman numerals and Arabic five-minute divisions, subsidiary dials for running seconds and elapsed sixty-minute recorder, blued steel spade hands, two sweep centre second hands operated by the crown and a second button in the band, the frosted gilt three-quarter plate movement with Nielsen's typical polished steel chronograph mechanism mounted on the top plate, the one minute three armed steel tourbillon carriage with bi-metallic balance, end curves to the blued steel hairspring, pointed tooth lever escapement, jewelled throughout, repeating on two gongs operated by a slide in the band, signed by Smiths & Son and additionally engraved Makers to the British and Indian governments with Admiralty crest, the case, dial and movement numbered, case makers stamp S.S., hallmarked London 189963mm.diam.

S.Smith & Sons, No.1900-5: A rare and impressive 18ct. gold keyless openface minute repeating, split-second chronograph with one minute tourbillon pocketwatch in plain case with five-piece hinge and thiefproof swivel made by Nicole Nielsen, the Willis dial with Roman numerals and Arabic five-minute divisions, subsidiary dials for running seconds and elapsed sixty-minute recorder, blued steel spade hands, two sweep centre second hands operated by the crown and a second button in the band, the frosted gilt three-quarter plate movement with Nielsen's typical polished steel chronograph mechanism mounted on the top plate, the one minute three armed steel tourbillon carriage with bi-metallic balance, end curves to the blued steel hairspring, pointed tooth lever escapement, jewelled throughout, repeating on two gongs operated by a slide in the band, signed by Smiths & Son and additionally engraved Makers to the British and Indian governments with Admiralty crest, the case, dial and movement numbered, case makers stamp S.S., hallmarked London 1899 63mm.diam.

Details

S.Smith & Sons, No.1900-5: A rare and impressive 18ct. gold keyless openface minute repeating, split-second chronograph with one minute tourbillon pocketwatch in plain case with five-piece hinge and thiefproof swivel made by Nicole Nielsen, the Willis dial with Roman numerals and Arabic five-minute divisions, subsidiary dials for running seconds and elapsed sixty-minute recorder, blued steel spade hands, two sweep centre second hands operated by the crown and a second button in the band, the frosted gilt three-quarter plate movement with Nielsen's typical polished steel chronograph mechanism mounted on the top plate, the one minute three armed steel tourbillon carriage with bi-metallic balance, end curves to the blued steel hairspring, pointed tooth lever escapement, jewelled throughout, repeating on two gongs operated by a slide in the band, signed by Smiths & Son and additionally engraved Makers to the British and Indian governments with Admiralty crest, the case, dial and movement numbered, case makers stamp S.S., hallmarked London 1899
63mm.diam.

Lot Essay

A total of about 650 tourbillon watches have been recorded and have always epitomised the highest achievement of the watchmaker's skill.

Although some 150 tourbillons are signed by English makers, around 100 tourbillon movements were built in England, the rest being imported from Switzerland. Nicole, Nielsen & Co built about 90 of the English production and supplied them to the famous names of S.Smith & Sons, E.Dent & Co and Charles Frodsham.

This previously unrecorded watch on offer is one of 27 known tourbillons sold by S.Smith & Sons between 1899 and 1918.

Whilst such complications as split second chronograph and repeating mechanisms in tourbillon watches are not unknown, they are rare.

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