Oudin. An extremely fine and rare 18K gold openface two-train quarter repeating grande and petite sonnerie clockwatch with thermometer
Oudin. An extremely fine and rare 18K gold openface two-train quarter repeating grande and petite sonnerie clockwatch with thermometer

SIGNED CHS. OUDIN, BREVETÉ, PALAIS ROYAL 52, PARIS, NO. 16678, CIRCA 1860

Details
Oudin. An extremely fine and rare 18K gold openface two-train quarter repeating grande and petite sonnerie clockwatch with thermometer
Signed Chs. Oudin, Breveté, Palais Royal 52, Paris, No. 16678, circa 1860
The gilt-finished fully jewelled two-train lever movement separately wound by turning the crown to either side, bimetallic compensation balance, quarter repeating and en passant grande and petite sonnerie striking on two hammers onto a gong, gold cuvette, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, blued steel moon-style hands, fan-shaped aperture for thermometer calibrated for centigrades and réaumur, in circular case with engine-turned back with engraved inscription to the inside, two levers for silence/sonnerie, petite sonnerie/grande sonnerie underneath the cuvette, repeating slide in the band, cuvette and movement signed
50 mm. diam.

Lot Essay

Charles Oudin, a renowned watchmaker and student of Breguet, established his workshop in Paris at the Palais Tribunat in 1804, then at the Galerie de Pierre from 1810-20. He was succeeded by his son who transferred the firm to Galerie Montpensier in 1830 and where it remained until 1840, then at Palais National by 1850 and finally Palais Royal in 1860.

Oudin watches are of high quality, comparable to those of Charles' famous teacher Breguet. In 1806, Charles Oudin patented a keyless winding mechanism, which he also presented at the Paris exhibition. The winding system of the present watch is based on this "brevet" but fitted with the further development of the stem hour setting. The cuvette bears the years of patents and the relevant exhibitions at which Oudin's watches participated, e.g. 1806, 1819, 1853 and 1855.

Another particularity of the present watch is the engraved inscription in the back cover reading Cette montre la plus parfaite que j'aie exécutée jusqu'a ce jour est du prix de 5500 fr.

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