Gideon & Co. Minute Repeater Chronograph
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This Gideon & Co. Minute Repeater features equestrians surrounded by rose cut diamonds
Key Features
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- This rare Gideon & Co. Minute Repeater Chronograph features triple calender moon phases
- The gold case is hallmarked and tests at 18 K fineness
- Equestrians are featured on both sides surrounded by rose cut diamonds
- The case hangs from a 14 inch double fob chain
- The inscription on the inside of the chronograph reads: Gold Prize Medal Paris 1889
- Dated 1889
- Diameter: 2 1/4"
Item Details
- Diameter:
2 1/4" Inches - Stone:
Other
This rare minute repeater chronograph by Gideon & Co. of Le Locle, Switzerland features triple calendar moon phases and information for the day, date and month. The gold case is hallmarked and tests at 18 K fineness and features equestrians on both sides surrounded by rose cut diamonds. The case hangs from a 14 inch 14 K double fob chain . The inscription on the inside of the chronograph reads: Gold Prize Medal Paris 1889.
There are many modern day uses for the chronograph, but the original use for this device, and the reason it was invented, was to please King Louis XVIII in 1821. The King greatly enjoyed watching horse races, but wanted to know exactly how long each race lasted, so Nicolas Rieussec was hired to invent a contraption that would do the job. As a result, he created the first ever commercialized chronograph, a specific type of watch that could be used as a both a stopwatch and a display watch. The basic chronograph has an independent sweep second hand; it can be started, stopped, and returned to zero by successive pressure on the stem. The chronograph would of course be a most suitable gift for the winner of the Gold Prize Medal for horse racing in Paris as not only was its invention associated with the sport but it would have been a highly useful tool for both jockeys and trainers. Combined with the incredibly exclusive and luxurious addition of the minute repeater this beautiful object would have been a highly coveted prestige item.
The minute repeater, which, at the push of a button chimes out the hours, quarter hours and minutes using a mixture of high and low notes struck by tiny hammers, is regarded by many as the apex of horological complications. Requiring hundreds of hours just to assemble and coming with hefty six-figure price tags as standard, the minute repeater seems poised to become the new badge of horological legitimacy. Minute repeaters are one of the oldest complications in the watchmaking world that are now seeing innovative and contemporary reworkings by companies such as Patek Philippe and Hublot. To find an antique minute repeater chronograph such as this in perfect condition is nothing short of extraordinary.
Dated 1889
2 1/4" diameter
There are many modern day uses for the chronograph, but the original use for this device, and the reason it was invented, was to please King Louis XVIII in 1821. The King greatly enjoyed watching horse races, but wanted to know exactly how long each race lasted, so Nicolas Rieussec was hired to invent a contraption that would do the job. As a result, he created the first ever commercialized chronograph, a specific type of watch that could be used as a both a stopwatch and a display watch. The basic chronograph has an independent sweep second hand; it can be started, stopped, and returned to zero by successive pressure on the stem. The chronograph would of course be a most suitable gift for the winner of the Gold Prize Medal for horse racing in Paris as not only was its invention associated with the sport but it would have been a highly useful tool for both jockeys and trainers. Combined with the incredibly exclusive and luxurious addition of the minute repeater this beautiful object would have been a highly coveted prestige item.
The minute repeater, which, at the push of a button chimes out the hours, quarter hours and minutes using a mixture of high and low notes struck by tiny hammers, is regarded by many as the apex of horological complications. Requiring hundreds of hours just to assemble and coming with hefty six-figure price tags as standard, the minute repeater seems poised to become the new badge of horological legitimacy. Minute repeaters are one of the oldest complications in the watchmaking world that are now seeing innovative and contemporary reworkings by companies such as Patek Philippe and Hublot. To find an antique minute repeater chronograph such as this in perfect condition is nothing short of extraordinary.
Dated 1889
2 1/4" diameter
