If only my watch could collect Air Miles.  I picked-up this Chronometre Royal as a non-runner, which is a situation I generally recommend others avoid.  But I knew a secret about the watch and it was just too much to resist.  So it crossed the Atlantic for the first time and arrived into my waiting hands.  The watch ran only in dial-up position so the lower balance pivot was suspect.  Some corrosion to the gear train was obvious, but at least the dial was unblemished.  And the case decoration was beautifully done.  Other niggles were an incorrect crown and crystal.  Clearly this watch experienced the world outside of a safety deposit box.

The next flight followed shortly thereafter; back across the ocean to visit its old maternity ward at VC Geneva.  In addition to a Certificate of Authenticity, I requested a repair estimate.  In due course an email arrived which I opened while sipping on my morning cuppa.  Having snorted the coffee out my nose and onto the screen, I had to mop it clean before confirming the sum requested.  It was beyond ridiculous.  So back home it came, a bit sooner than anticipated.  At least the C of A was worthwhile, along with a tidbit from the Heritage Department that the piece was originally produced with a plain polished case but returned to the factory some time later for its ornate decoration.

What they didn't have was record of the chronometer bulletin and Honourable Mention awarded to the watch at the 1910 Geneva trials.  I learned from previous dealings that factory records on trials watches were spotty, but thankfully the Observatoire de Geneve archives are still available, as are trade publications with competition results from the period.  So when the C of A mentioned a Guillaume balance, I already knew it was actually by his competitor C. Crausaz.  No biggie; Guillaume himself was censured for claiming Crausaz' results as his own.  When confronted, he declared that no harm was intended as Crausaz used a "Guillaume-type" construction.  Prior to ca1915 Crausaz was V&C's go-to supplier of competition balances yet he is almost forgotten.  The little slip-up on the certificate will always remind me of this old controversy and bring a smile.

Back to the watch - now what to do?  The call went out to fellow enthusiasts and many long-distance telephone calls gradually steered me to a shop with the expertise and equipment to handle this restoration.  Back on the plane for an overland flight south.  After due consideration, an estimate was received with relief.  The back-and-forth discussion was very reassuring as they identified several options and associated costs; a level of transparency most welcome.  The must-do list was simple; get it running, repair any mechanical issues, and replace the crown and crystal.  A few months later, at a fraction of the factory estimate, the watch was ready to come home.  Herein occurred the only hiccup; it was sent back as ground freight thus spoiling the air travel streak.  My goodness it was an anxious week waiting for this precious package to bump and bang its way across the continent.  What were they thinking?

Once in hand, a close examination (yeah, with a loupe) confirmed all was physically well, and 24 hours of running concluded within one second of my quartz reference watch.  Kudos to the original manufacturing and subsequent restoration for this outstanding result!

This piece joins a few other unusual Chronometre Royal pieces in the cabinet, including a WWII deck watch and a table clock from the 30s.  It has been more than 10 years since the last CR watch debuted; I wonder what the future holds...