Lot 327

Auguste Golay-Leresche

Captains Watch

An extremely rare Geneva pocket watch with two time zones and independent, stoppable jumping centre seconds "Seconde Morte"

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David Auguste Golay (1814-1895) - known as Auguste – was the son of Jacques David Golay of Vallee de Joux and Susanne Louise Meylan. In August 1837, 23 year old Auguste married Susanne Leresche, the daughter of a watchmaker and a regleur herself. He established his first company in the same year and named the company "Golay-Leresche" after himself and his wife. In 1841 began a partnership with Louis Gunther, but that only lasted for a year. Auguste continued his own work with great success; his products were of excellent quality and he was a shrewd businessman. He often presented his work at international exhibitions and was awarded innumerable prizes. After Auguste’s death in 1895 his sons Pierre and Louis Edouard took over; they formed a partnership with Stahl in 1896 and the company traded as "Golay Fils & Stahl" from then on.
Source: "Dictionnaire des Horlogers Genevois" by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Geneva 1998