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Lot Essay
The stunning and bold three-tone silvered sector dial is highly unusual for a pocket watch and is of superb quality with the track, texts and signature in beautifully raised hard enamel – very similar in fact to the dials supplied by Stern Frères for Patek Philippe. Interestingly, upon close inspection, the case was made by Antoine Gerlach in Geneva, his mark of a number 4 within a key is punched inside the back of the cuvette. Gerlach was one of best Geneva case makers producing cases mainly for Patek Philippe.
Grande and Petite Sonnerie clock watches are extremely rare, being one of the most difficult complications to build in a watch. Automatically striking the hours and quarter hours at each quarter-hour (Grande Sonnerie) with options for quarter hours only (Petite Sonnerie) and silence option for the night time hours.
Consigned by a private collector, this impressive, large and very attractive example with minute repeating would be a significant addition to any serious watch collection and the perfect complement to a fine wristwatch collection.
David Auguste Golay (1862-1938) started his career as an adjuster for Jules Jürgensen in Le Locle. In the early 1880s, Golay returned to his birthplace Le Sentier and founded his own firm. In 1883, the watchmaking company David Golay obtained an award for its fine workmanship and careful fabrication in Precision Horology at the Swiss National Exhibition in Zurich. After J. Alfred Jürgensen death in 1912, Golay returned to Le Locle to run the company together with Mrs Lydia Jürgensen, J.A. Jürgensen's widow. Sole owner of the company from 1916 until around 1925, he produced high quality watches by completing unfinished Jürgensen movements.
Grande and Petite Sonnerie clock watches are extremely rare, being one of the most difficult complications to build in a watch. Automatically striking the hours and quarter hours at each quarter-hour (Grande Sonnerie) with options for quarter hours only (Petite Sonnerie) and silence option for the night time hours.
Consigned by a private collector, this impressive, large and very attractive example with minute repeating would be a significant addition to any serious watch collection and the perfect complement to a fine wristwatch collection.
David Auguste Golay (1862-1938) started his career as an adjuster for Jules Jürgensen in Le Locle. In the early 1880s, Golay returned to his birthplace Le Sentier and founded his own firm. In 1883, the watchmaking company David Golay obtained an award for its fine workmanship and careful fabrication in Precision Horology at the Swiss National Exhibition in Zurich. After J. Alfred Jürgensen death in 1912, Golay returned to Le Locle to run the company together with Mrs Lydia Jürgensen, J.A. Jürgensen's widow. Sole owner of the company from 1916 until around 1925, he produced high quality watches by completing unfinished Jürgensen movements.