Lot 448

Nicole & Capt, 14, Soho Square, London, Movement No. 7524, Case No. 7524, 52 mm, 146 g, circa 1874
A remarkable, heavy chronoscope
Case: 18k rose gold, three apertures for reading of the auxiliary seconds, minutes and hours with inlaid black enamelled Roman and Arabic numerals, case maker's punch mark "AN" (Alexis Nicole of Nicole & Norbier, entered 1 May 1865). Dial: enamel. Movm.: 4/5 plate movement, "Patent", English lever escapement, screw compensation balance.
Nicole & Capt (Nicole, Nielson & Co) developed a great number of groundbreaking features. Adolphe Nicole received his first patent in 1844 for a serially produced stem wind and set mechanism - which means it was granted earlier than Adrien Philippe’s at Patek Philippe. Nicole also invented the chronograph; the company, however, mainly supplied complicated movements to leading English makers such as Benson, Dent, Frodsham and Smith. Only a small number of timepieces were sold under the company brand.

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