Exceptional Discoveries: The Olmsted Complications Collection
Louis Audemars, Brassus and Geneva
A rare and heavy pink gold hunting cased keyless minute repeating watch with split-seconds chronograph and register, Circa 1890
Auction Closed
December 8, 10:03 PM GMT
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Movement: nickel lever movement with unusual layout, bi-metallic compensation balance, chronograph work mounted on the backplate, jeweled to the center, engraved Patent January 7, 1882, Superior Adjustment, Ls Audemars, Brassus & Geneva no. 14075
Dial: white enamel dial, Breguet numerals, two subsidiary dials for constant seconds and 60-minute register, subsidiary dials, signed Ls Audemars, Brassus & Geneva
Case: 18k pink gold, monogramed SJP, cuvette engraved S.J. Pingree, St. Louis, May 1st 1922, case numbered 14075 and 75
Signed: dial and movement signed Ls Audemars, Brassus and Geneva
Diameter: 55 mm
Louis-Benjamin Audemars (1782-1833), born in La Vallée de Joux, was apprenticed at an early age to Philippe Meylan. In 1811 he founded the firm Louis Audemars & Cie and he soon established himself for his fine workmanship. Louis Audemars had eight sons, who all continued in the family firm. In 1848 the company began producing complete watches and became recognized as one of the finest, providing major Swiss and French manufacturers such as Le Roy, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin, with highly complicated watches and movements. One of their best-known pieces was Le Roy no. 1, circa 1900, likely the earliest watch known to have an astronomical sky chart and the most complicated watch produced at this time with 24 complications.