95th Auction

2017/5/6

Lot 500

William Williams, Liverpool, Late of Bury, "Patented March 26th 1890 by William Williams Bury", Movement No. 1959, 58 mm, 171 g, circa 1890
A rare deck watch with auxiliary seconds and centre seconds chronograph beating 57,600 times per hour; 1/16th of a second accuracy is provided by a seconds ring that is two times divided in partitions 0 to 16
Case: silver, slide for seconds stop. Dial: enamel. Movm.: 4/5 plate movement, English lever escapement, gold three-arm balance.
William Williams of Bury
On March 26, 1890 William Williams of Bury was granted a patent for an escapement which "beats ten, twelve, or sixteen times a second". He achieved this by adding another wheel to the train and placing the escape wheel with the seconds hand. Williams also used an extremely fast balance, able to beat 57.600 times per hour.

Sold

estimated
6001.000 €
Price realized
700 €