Lot 48

Paul Ditisheim

Werktyp IV

A fine Swiss lever chronometer - movement type IV. Only two other watches of type IV are known today

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Calibre type IV
Calibre type IV is very similar to calibre type II. So far we know of no more than three examples. Type IV has curved 2/3 plates (different to type II) in varying forms, overhead locking wheel and crown gear and a normal bimetal compensation balance or a Guillaume balance. The earliest of the three pieces is recorded as movement no. 15578 and features a small as well as a central second. This timepiece was first tested at Neuchâtel in 1899 without achieving a truly satisfying result. In another test in 1902 it reached fourth place in the group "pocket chronometers, first class". The other watch, no. 24596 has a power reserve indication and won third place in category "pocket chronometers, first class" at the Neuchâtel observatory in 1908. This watch is the third known example of calibre IV has no power reserve indication and was probably made before 1908; there are no records of any observatory tests.
Source: Fritz von Osterhausen: "Paul Ditisheim Chronometrier", Neuchâtel 2003, page 66.

Paul Ditisheim (1868-1945) 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 in the Rotherham Watch Company of 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, usually with lever escapement. He developed for example a navy chronometer with exchangeable escapement system. Ditisheim and Charles-Edouard Guillaume worked together in developing and testing of temperature-independent metal alloys.
Source: Ghul Uhren Lexikon