92nd Auction
2015/11/14
Lot 57
Gerh. D. Wempe, Abt. Chronometerwerke, Hamburg, Movement No. 2543, 190 x 170 x 190 mm, circa 1940
A remarkable, rare compression wave resistent submarine chronometer of the German "Kriegsmarine" with 32h power reserve inidicator, external hand setting device and external winding
Case: mahogany, applied signature shield, hinged handles at side, black lacquered brass gimbals and bowl, facetted glass, black lacquered solid brass case with special rubber seal and 18 screws, two-body, engraved swastika and Navy inventory no. "M348". Dial: silvered, signed, numbered, Arabic numerals, auxiliary seconds, gilt spade hands. Movm.: brass movement, polished, decorated, solid movement pillars, going barrel, lever escapement, lever and escape wheel made of antimagnetic beryllium bronze, heavy Gerstenberger chronometer balance with 4 weights and 2 screws, blued helical balance spring with both sides passing terminal curves, chatoned sapphire endstones on balance and chronometer wheel.
This chronometer is one of 12 that were produced on order for the German Navy in 1940 after it was discovered that the launch of several torpedos at the same time caused unusual rate variations.
In "Alte Uhren" 1/79, the maker of this chronometer Herbert Müller describes the navy’s requirements and the chosen solutions for the chronometers. He concludes that "only little is known about they fared in real life. I have never seen any of them again; I suppose the chronometers are all on the bottom of the sea together with the submarines."
Luckily this is not so: in addition to this piece we know of two others, which are described and illustrated on page 282 ff. of "Militäruhren" by Konrad Knirim.
A remarkable, rare compression wave resistent submarine chronometer of the German "Kriegsmarine" with 32h power reserve inidicator, external hand setting device and external winding
Case: mahogany, applied signature shield, hinged handles at side, black lacquered brass gimbals and bowl, facetted glass, black lacquered solid brass case with special rubber seal and 18 screws, two-body, engraved swastika and Navy inventory no. "M348". Dial: silvered, signed, numbered, Arabic numerals, auxiliary seconds, gilt spade hands. Movm.: brass movement, polished, decorated, solid movement pillars, going barrel, lever escapement, lever and escape wheel made of antimagnetic beryllium bronze, heavy Gerstenberger chronometer balance with 4 weights and 2 screws, blued helical balance spring with both sides passing terminal curves, chatoned sapphire endstones on balance and chronometer wheel.
This chronometer is one of 12 that were produced on order for the German Navy in 1940 after it was discovered that the launch of several torpedos at the same time caused unusual rate variations.
In "Alte Uhren" 1/79, the maker of this chronometer Herbert Müller describes the navy’s requirements and the chosen solutions for the chronometers. He concludes that "only little is known about they fared in real life. I have never seen any of them again; I suppose the chronometers are all on the bottom of the sea together with the submarines."
Luckily this is not so: in addition to this piece we know of two others, which are described and illustrated on page 282 ff. of "Militäruhren" by Konrad Knirim.
Sold
estimated
11.000—20.000 €
Price realized
19.900 €