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Lot Essay
The Dial
Made by Stern Frères, with yellow gold applied baton hour indexes and Roman quarter-hour numerals, pre-1948 ‘long’ signature. Revolving silver 24 hours ring, day silvered and night dark grey. Two yellow gold applied dots for the noon and midnight markers. Outer ring for the cities (in English), with engraved enamelled 41 cities around the World according to the time zone. Gold circle hour hand and Dauphine minutes hand.
The Case
No. 647’115 was made by Édouard Wenger, Geneva Master case maker mark 1. In very good condition with clear hallmark on the band, solid yellow gold winding crown attributed to Boninchi Frères of Geneva. The bezel engraved with 41 cities in English retains its original enamel infill and the toothed edge is reasonably crisp and sharp. The underside of the bezel is correctly marked with the last three digits of the case serial number as is the inside surface of one lug.
The Movement
Serial number 929’573, calibre 12’’’ 120 HU (Heures Universelles), was modified from a calibre 12 120 base by adding Cottier’s device. Calibre 12’’’ 120, launched in 1932 was the best “time-only” 12’’’ calibre with subsidiary seconds of its time, later replaced by the calibre 12 400. The caliber has 18 jewels, with 18’000 oscillations. The present movement is the type marked only with the maker’s signature and the serial number.
Reference 1415
Reference 1415 was introduced in 1939 and remained in production until 1954 approximately. Reference 1415 HU was either cased in yellow or pink gold. Only one example in platinum is known to date.
Until 1948, reference 1415 HU was only available with the classic metal dial, either silvered or more exclusively rose. During the very last years of production, this model was also available in very few pieces only with cloisonné enamel dial.
Made by Stern Frères, with yellow gold applied baton hour indexes and Roman quarter-hour numerals, pre-1948 ‘long’ signature. Revolving silver 24 hours ring, day silvered and night dark grey. Two yellow gold applied dots for the noon and midnight markers. Outer ring for the cities (in English), with engraved enamelled 41 cities around the World according to the time zone. Gold circle hour hand and Dauphine minutes hand.
The Case
No. 647’115 was made by Édouard Wenger, Geneva Master case maker mark 1. In very good condition with clear hallmark on the band, solid yellow gold winding crown attributed to Boninchi Frères of Geneva. The bezel engraved with 41 cities in English retains its original enamel infill and the toothed edge is reasonably crisp and sharp. The underside of the bezel is correctly marked with the last three digits of the case serial number as is the inside surface of one lug.
The Movement
Serial number 929’573, calibre 12’’’ 120 HU (Heures Universelles), was modified from a calibre 12 120 base by adding Cottier’s device. Calibre 12’’’ 120, launched in 1932 was the best “time-only” 12’’’ calibre with subsidiary seconds of its time, later replaced by the calibre 12 400. The caliber has 18 jewels, with 18’000 oscillations. The present movement is the type marked only with the maker’s signature and the serial number.
Reference 1415
Reference 1415 was introduced in 1939 and remained in production until 1954 approximately. Reference 1415 HU was either cased in yellow or pink gold. Only one example in platinum is known to date.
Until 1948, reference 1415 HU was only available with the classic metal dial, either silvered or more exclusively rose. During the very last years of production, this model was also available in very few pieces only with cloisonné enamel dial.