Swiss. A very fine, rare and unusual 18K gold twin movement dual time keyless lever calendar watch, made for the Turkish Market

UNSIGNED, NO. 8595, CIRCA 1885

Details

Swiss. A very fine, rare and unusual 18K gold twin movement dual time keyless lever calendar watch, made for the Turkish Market
Unsigned, No. 8595, circa 1885
The two gilt-finished keyless movements each with a separate train wound through the crown, each with straight line lever escapement and bimetallic compensation balance, glazed dust cover, the silver dial with four subsidiary dials indicating the two time dials, one with Roman and one with Turkish numerals, the date with Arabic numerals, a subsidiary dial with Turkish numerals and letters, surrounded by chased and engraved three colour cold floral decoration in high relief, in massive circular case with coin-edged band, the engine-turned back centred by a blank shield-shaped cartouche surrounded by inlaid translucent scarlet enamel foliage decoration, the two dials set independently by depressing two buttons in the band, case numbered
55 mm. diam.

Lot Essay

Watches containing, within one movement plate, two completely separate going trains are rare. Often found in two time zone watches, it can be assumed that these were made to achieve higher precision for each time indication. The present watch can be dated around 1885, a time when travels by train or sea between the Ottoman Empire and central Europe became more common. It is consequently explainable that such watch is featuring time and date indication in both Arabic and Turkish numerals.
For a discussion of pocket watches with two balances see Klassik Uhren, No. 4-2004, Reinhard Meis and Christian Pfeiffer-Belli.

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