Lot 32

Paul Ditisheim, La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland, "The highest records at Kew Teddington and Swiss Observatories", 1ère Classe, 332 State Prizes, Movement No. 65290, Case No. 65290, 65 mm, 275 g, circa 1924
A rare deck watch with 52h power reserve indicator - One of a very small series of the most impressive precision pocket watches ever built. This watch took part in a chronometer test at the observatory in Neuchâtel in 1924, in the category for marine chronometers 1st class.
Case: sterling silver, polished, reeded band, screw back. Dial: matt silvered, signed, radial Roman numerals, auxiliary seconds, 52h power reserve indicator, blued spade hands. Movm.: 4/5 plate movement, chatoned, frosted, gilt, Ditisheim's movement type I, 9 adj., 21 jewels, large Guillaume screw compensation balance, sapphire endstone on balance, lever and escape wheel.
Movement caliber type I
This type of movement with its caliber designed for stability and highest precision seems to be the one Ditisheim entered in most of the many competitions they took part in (categories ships' chronometers and pocket chronometers 1st class, according to the Neuchâtel observatory competition terms). So far 20 watches with this caliber are known. These watches achieved superb positionings in the categorie ships' chronometers around 1910/1925 in Neuchâtel.
Paul Ditisheim (1868-1945)
He was one of the most famous Swiss maker of watches and chronometers, who did most of his research and his publications in the field of precision timekeeping. He did his apprenticeship at the watchmaking school in La Chaux-de-Fonds, before working in Ponts-de-Martel, Berlin, Paris, and Rotherham (near Coventry). In 1892 he opened up a watchmaking factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds. He presented his watches in many exhibitions and was very sucessful in designing pocket chronometers.

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