106th Auction

2022/5/21

Lot 226

J.L. & A. Breguelin

A large double-face world time watch with Greenwich patent

Sold

estimated
5.0007.000 €
Price realized
8.000 €
specific features
Case
Silver, partly pink gilt, engraved, glazed on both sides.
Dial
Front dial - polychrome with Roman/Arabic 24h indication, Arabic minutes, inner five minute devision, central turnable disc with town names, reverse side dial - polychrome with town names, central turnable minute disc.
Movement
Bridge movement, screw compensation balance.
Diam.62 mm
Circa1890
Ctry.Switzerland
Wt.192 g


The world became smaller in the course of the 19th century; railway and shipping traffic were on the upswing. It is difficult to imagine that at the same time even countries such as Germany had no standard time. Moritz Grossmann of Glashuette – already a famous watchmaker – was one of those campaigning for the universal time with world time zones and the universal day of 24 hours as proposed by Sandford Fleming. When the system was finally introduced, the public's interest in the new system was such that a great variety of "world time" watches and clocks were produced. This large and heavy pocket watch is a splendid example – it has two coloured dials that show day and night as well as local time of no less than 43 world cities.
This high-quality and rare pocket watch was made by J.L. & A. Breguelin in Tramelan for Henry Harburg & Co. London and La Chaux-de-Fonds.