PeterCDE
10167
Three Bridges - not gold, not tourbillon, but...
G'day,
a rare view; of the Three Gold Bridges Tourbillon,
in the "early days" a couple of variants were crafted.
You may recall earlier impressions and discussion,
where different styles of the bridges and versions with "conventional" swiss
lever (anchor) escapements or spring detent escapements were shown.
Here´s one i find particularly interesting and a
rare view:
Girard Perregaux, Chaux de Fonds, Movement Nr. 22994, Case Nr.
87319, 57 mm, 209 gr., circa 1885
An important, heavy hunting case precision pocket watch "Chronometre" with three bridge movement and Bulletin de Première Classe à L'Observatoire Cantonal de Neuchatel
An important, heavy hunting case precision pocket watch "Chronometre" with three bridge movement and Bulletin de Première Classe à L'Observatoire Cantonal de Neuchatel
Case: 18k gold, florally ornamented with hatchment and mystic creatures, engine-turned, à goutte, engraved and engine-turned gold dome, glazed movement, signed.
Dial: enamel, radial Roman hours, outer five minute divisions with radial Arabic minutes, sunk seconds, signed, Louis XV hands.
Movm.: 3 bridge movement, screwed gold chatons, steel bridges, nickel-plated, decorated, polished screws, signed, gold screw compensation balance, blued hairspring, counterpoised lever, ruby endstone on escape wheel.
I´m a bit under the impression the auction text
mixed up the case and movement numerals; movement no. 87319 should be a swiss
lever anchor chronometer with double Philips endshake hairspring, which was
submitted to the Chronometry Trials at the Observatory Neuchatel in 1883 and
achieved rank 7 in class B. This means, it was among the most accurate pieces
tested then, which i think is quite something!
What may be more apparent is the unusual combination of a movement crafted
in "German Silver" and fitted with steel (!) bridges.
Obviously the bridges are "new" style, with the arrow-shape being the later
shape in use since late 1870´s.
Steel bridges for the Three Bridges movements are
very rare, because these precious pieces used to be crafted in gold in first
degree.
But the massive case may already tell; this is an "a goutte"-style case,
where the recessed parts in the lids find counterparts in the case middle
section. This is a very elaborate work and was reserved for very precious
watches only, so the case already indicates it´s been a pretty special piece
then.
I´m not even sure Girard-Perregaux then made another watch like this.
A number of roughly 100 non-tourbillon pieces with GP´s iconic bridges is
documented, of which almost all were submitted to the Observatory Neuchatel. The
basic idea of the Three Bridges movements is a precision instrument with a new
"look", therefore basically each piece had to proof itself in one of the world´s
hardest timing competitions then. And they did, winning GP a considerable number
of prizes and awards! Not just beautiful watches, but highly accurate
timekeepers in first degree - keeping up with an old watchmaker´s saying that
near perfect chronometric performance is the crown of watchmaking
achievements.
So all in all, i´m tempted to believe it´s quite a rare view and thus a
good reason to share it :-)
Cheers,
Peter
Three Bridges - not gold, not tourbillon, but...
G'day, a rare view; of the Three Gold Bridges Tourbillon, in the "early days" a couple of variants were crafted. You may recall earlier impressions and discussion, where different styles of the bridges and versions with "conventional" swiss lever (anchor)...
very cool
I wasn't aware GP made non-tourbillon 3 bridges watches, let alone STEEL bridges.
Nice...
If only GP would make some 3 Golden Bridge without the tourby complication i am sure a lot of enthusiast will appreciate it a lot Including myself Thanks for the photos Peter, very nice pocketeer ! Regards
Love it - fabulous piece. Dare I ask how much it hammered for?
Love seeing old war horses that even in todays climate of PVD that, and extreme this, that chronometric performance can look so serene. Andrew H