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Lot Essay
The present highly complicated watch has a three-quarter plate matte gilt movement engraved “English & Swiss”, is certainly in the “English style”. It was possibly made by LeCoultre and finished by the firm of Nicole Nielsen & Co. in London who did occasionally inscribe their movements in this way.
The escapement is the classic English lateral lever with diamond endstone rather than the Swiss straight line lever. In addition to the perpetual calendar, the present watch has Grande and Petite Sonnerie striking, one of the most difficult complications for the watchmaker to construct.
The grand strike, whereby both the hours and the quarter hours are struck every quarter and small strike whereby only the quarter hours are struck, with the hours only struck on the hour can be selected as required as well as a silent mode. To audibly know the time to the nearest minute, the repeating mechanism can be activated by the trip-slide in the band with the lightest of touch. The substantial gold case neatly and ingeniously disguises the levers and adjusters for the striking and calendars beneath the hinged front cover. When released by depressing the crown, the cover opens to access the setting levers and reveals a second glazed bezel protecting the dial.
The heavy gold case is stamped GHH and can be attributed to George Henry Harwood, listed as gold watch case maker in Clerkenwell, EC. At the 1885 International Inventions Exhibition, a world's fair held in South Kensington, he exhibited specimens of watch ases under the auspices of The British Horological Institute (see The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths, Jewellers & Allied Traders 1838-1914, John Culme, Vol.I p. 220, Vol. II p. 115.
William George Schoof (1830-1901)
Was a highly respected although unconventional watchmaker. Among Schoof's inventions was a patent spring banking that was a form of resilient escapement to prevent damage to the mechanism in the event of a violent shock. A marine chronometer by Schoof is in the collection of the Science Museum in London.
The escapement is the classic English lateral lever with diamond endstone rather than the Swiss straight line lever. In addition to the perpetual calendar, the present watch has Grande and Petite Sonnerie striking, one of the most difficult complications for the watchmaker to construct.
The grand strike, whereby both the hours and the quarter hours are struck every quarter and small strike whereby only the quarter hours are struck, with the hours only struck on the hour can be selected as required as well as a silent mode. To audibly know the time to the nearest minute, the repeating mechanism can be activated by the trip-slide in the band with the lightest of touch. The substantial gold case neatly and ingeniously disguises the levers and adjusters for the striking and calendars beneath the hinged front cover. When released by depressing the crown, the cover opens to access the setting levers and reveals a second glazed bezel protecting the dial.
The heavy gold case is stamped GHH and can be attributed to George Henry Harwood, listed as gold watch case maker in Clerkenwell, EC. At the 1885 International Inventions Exhibition, a world's fair held in South Kensington, he exhibited specimens of watch ases under the auspices of The British Horological Institute (see The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths, Jewellers & Allied Traders 1838-1914, John Culme, Vol.I p. 220, Vol. II p. 115.
William George Schoof (1830-1901)
Was a highly respected although unconventional watchmaker. Among Schoof's inventions was a patent spring banking that was a form of resilient escapement to prevent damage to the mechanism in the event of a violent shock. A marine chronometer by Schoof is in the collection of the Science Museum in London.