Henri Motel, An exceptional boxed marine chronometer with unusual escapement and conical spring, no. 25, circa 1820

gilt full plate movement, signed and numbered, black polished steel pillars, separate plates for balance and escapement assembly, balance bridge, diamond endstone, four armed bi-metallic compensation balance with platinum and gold screws, unusual blued steel conical balance spring, very fine and highly polished pivoted detent escapement, jeweled pivot holes with steel end pieces, fusee with Harrison's maintaining power, unusual winding set up to allow the timepiece to be wound from the front beside the dial, secret catch for removing movement from drum, silvered regulator-style dial, signed and numbered, brass drum-form case with slide cover for winding square, mahogany two-tier box, ivory signed and numbered plaque, accompanied by a copy of Randall, The Time Museum Catalogue of Marine Chronometers.

Time Museum Inventory No. 9

Randall, cat. no. 116

This is a fine example of an early chronometer by Henri Motel and is based on the caliber used by Berthoud under whom Motel was trained. The finishing is exceptional and overall is made to the very highest standards. The present box is a replacement for the original gimbaled box and was ordered by the French Navy. These smaller boxes were transferred to a large gimbaled box to save space. 

Henri Motel was appointed Horloger de la Marine in 1823, following the death of A.L. Breguet.