97th Auction

2018/5/12

Lot 545

Thomas Mercer Ltd, St. Albans, Movement No. 1226, Height 240 mm, circa 1974
A remarkable table chronometer with spring detent escapement according to Thomas Earnshaw and 8 day power reserve - Model "Hertfordshire" - with original certificate, guarantee and rating certificate
Case: walnut. Dial: silvered. Movm.: rectangular-shaped brass movement, chain/fusee, escapement no. 1250, bimetallic chronometer balance with 2 screws and 2 weights.
Specialists in the creation of marine chronometers, Thomas Mercer of St. Albans produced more than 1,000 table chronometers between 1922 and 1977; in the early days their excellent movements persuaded many other makers to purchase them, so that quite a number of these timepieces were sold under famous brand names such as Frodsham, Breguet or Tiffany. With a few exceptions, the design hardly changed over the decades; one of the more obvious changes is the winding arbor which moved to the dial. True to the tradition of marine chronometer making, this example was regulated perfectly and - with a rate of 0.2 seconds per day - outperformed Mercer’s required 0.5 seconds easily.

Sold

estimated
3.5005.000 €
Price realized
6.100 €