Leonidas Rare chronographe avec compte à rebours en metal chromé, fabriquée pour les bombardiers de l'armée de l'air italienne | Rare chrome plated Bombardier time recorder/countdown chronograph, made for the Italian Air Force Vers 1940 | Circa 1940
Léonidas
Rare chronographe avec compte à rebours en metal chromé, fabriquée pour les bombardiers de l'armée de l'air italienne | Rare chrome plated Bombardier time recorder/countdown chronograph, made for the Italian Air Force
Vers 1940 |
Circa 1940
Cadran: noir
Calibre: remontage manuel
Boîtier: métal chromé, fond avec charnière
Numéro de boîtier: 175'255
Fermoir: bracelet NATO
Dimensions : 56 mm
Signé: cadran
Ecrin: non
Papiers: non
Accessoires: aucun
Dial: black
Calibre: manual winding
Case: chrome plated metal, hinged back
Case number: 175'255
Closure: NATO strap
Dimensions: 56 mm
Signed: dial
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: none
Poids brut 172.30 g |
Gross weight 172.30 gLeonidas Leonidas Rare chronographe avec compte à rebours en metal chromé, fabriquée pour les bombardiers de l'armée de l'air italienne | Rare chrome plated Bombardier time recorder/countdown chronograph, made for the Italian Air Force Vers 1940 | Circa 1940
Rare chronographe avec compte à rebours en metal chromé, fabriquée pour les bombardiers de l'armée de l'air italienne | Rare chrome plated Bombardier time recorder/countdown chronograph, made for the Italian Air Force Vers 1940 | Circa 1940
Estimate:
1,000 - 1,500 EUR Lot sold:
1,260
EUR Léonidas
Rare chronographe avec compte à rebours en metal chromé, fabriquée pour les bombardiers de l'armée de l'air italienne | Rare chrome plated Bombardier time recorder/countdown chronograph, made for the Italian Air Force
Vers 1940 |
Circa 1940
Cadran: noir
Calibre: remontage manuel
Boîtier: métal chromé, fond avec charnière
Numéro de boîtier: 175'255
Fermoir: bracelet NATO
Dimensions : 56 mm
Signé: cadran
Ecrin: non
Papiers: non
Accessoires: aucun
Dial: black
Calibre: manual winding
Case: chrome plated metal, hinged back
Case number: 175'255
Closure: NATO strap
Dimensions: 56 mm
Signed: dial
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: none
Poids brut 172.30 g |
Gross weight 172.30 g Condition report
MVT: the movement running at the time of cataloguing. The pushers at 1 o'clock is not operating due to a missing piece.
CASE: the chrome plating used in some parts and light signs of corrosion mainly to the back. Possibly a piece missing at the end of the lever. some scratches to the back due to opening.
DIAL: in well preserved condition, with some signs of age.
Highly unusual piece.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The online condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance purposes only. The images of the lot also form part of the online condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Any reference to condition in the online condition report does not amount to a full description of condition. The online condition report may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the online condition report of the lot or shown in the online images of the lot (for example, the online condition report may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome). Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. The online condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the online condition report is a statement of subjective, qualified opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's (for example, information regarding colour, clarity and weight of gemstones are statements of opinion only and not statements of fact by Sotheby's). Please also note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and wrist bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. In addition, certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot (for example, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades). For these reasons, the online condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot. Prospective buyers should also refer to the Buying at Auction guide which includes important notices concerning the type of property in this sale. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species. Please be advised that wristbands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS ONLINE CONDITION REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS (ONLINE ONLY).
(LE LOT EST VENDU TEL QUEL, DANS L'ÉTAT OU IL SE TROUVE AU MOMENT DE LA VENTE EN LIGNE. LE RAPPORT D'ÉTAT FOURNI EN LIGNE EST À TITRE INDICATIF UNIQUEMENT ET A POUR BUT D'AIDER À ÉVALUER L'ÉTAT DU LOT. LES IMAGES DU LOT FONT ÉGALEMENT PARTIE DU RAPPORT DE CONDITION FOURNI PAR SOTHEBY'S. TOUTE RÉFÉRENCE À L'ÉTAT DANS LE RAPPORT DE CONDITION EN LIGNE NE CONSTITUE PAS UNE DESCRIPTION COMPLÈTE DE L'ÉTAT. LE RAPPORT D'ÉTAT EN LIGNE PEUT DÉCRIRE CERTAINES IMPERFECTIONS DU LOT, VOUS DEVEZ CEPENDANT NOTER QUE LE LOT PEUT CONTENIR D'AUTRES DÉFAUTS QUE NE SONT PAS DÉCRITS DANS LE RAPPORT D'ÉTAT DU LOT OU QUI NE SONT PAS VISIBLES SUR LES IMAGES DU LOT LE RAPPORT D'ÉTAT EN LIGNE PEUT NE PAS DÉCRIRE TOUS LES DÉFAUTS D'UN LOT, TELS QUE LES RESTAURATIONS, DÉGRADATIONS, OU ADAPTIONS, CAR SOTHEBY'S N'EST PAS RESTAURATEUR OU CONSERVATEUR PROFESSIONNEL. LE RAPPORT D'ÉTAT EST UNE DESCRIPTION SUBJECTIVE ET QUALIFIÉE EFFECTUÉ PAR SOTHEBY'S (PAR EXEMPLE DES INFORMATIONS SUR LA COULEUR, LA CLARTÉ ET LE POIDS DE PIERRES SONT DES EXPOSÉS D'OPINION SEULEMENT ET NON DES EXPOSÉS DES FAITS EFFECTUÉS PAR SOTHEBY'S). VEUILLEZ ÉGALEMENT NOTER QUE NOUS NE GARANTISSONS PAS ET NE SOMMES PAS RESPONSABLES DES CERTIFICATS DE LABORATOIRES DE GEMMOLOGIE QUI PEUVENT ACCOMPAGNER DES LOTS. DE PLUS CERTAINES IMAGES FOURNIES EN LIGNE PEUVENT NE PAS REFLÉTER L'ÉTAT VÉRITABLE DU LOT (PAR EXEMPLE LES IMAGES EN LIGNE PEUVENT MONTRER DES COULEURS OU OMBRES QUI SONT DIFFÉRENTES DES VÉRITABLES COULEURS ET OMBRES D'UN LOT) C'EST POUR TOUTES CES RAISONS QUE LE RAPPORT DE CONDITION EN LIGNE N'EST PAS UNE ALTERNATIVE AUX CONSEILS PROFESSIONNELS, QUE VOUS POURRIEZ PRENDRE, CONCERNANT L'ÉTAT D'UN LOT. NOS FUTURS ACHETEURS DEVRAIENT SE RÉFÉRER AUX SECTIONS APPROPRIÉES DE NOTRE GUIDE D'ACHAT AUX ENCHÈRES QUI INCLUT DES INFORMATIONS IMPORTANTES SUR LE GENRE DE LOTS VENDUS DANS LA VENTE. NONOBSTANT LE RAPPORT DE CONDITION EN LIGNE OU TOUTES DISCUSSIONS À PROPOS D'UN LOT, TOUS LES LOTS SONT OFFERTS À LA VENTE « EN L'ÉTAT » CONFORMÉMENT À NOS CONDITIONS GÉNÉRALES DE VENTES (EN LIGNE UNIQUEMENT). This time recorder/countdown watch was made for the Italian army, as the "cronografo a ritorno" inscription on the dial confirms.
This highly unusual and collectible piece has a black dial with a white outer 30-second register and a luminescent inner track graduated from 5 to 60 to calculate the distance in hectometers (100m).
The bomb aimers were placed at the front of the airplanes. Due to extreme conditions, they needed accurate tools that could be used with thick gloves. This chronograph for example has a lever to activate the crown that is both a pusher and the winding system. To avoid any false manipulation, the pusher at 1 o'clock could be locked by pressing and turning it.
Based on the altitude of the plane, the bombardier would set the distance by placing the luminescent arrow through the rotating bezel on the hectometer graduation. He would then start the chrono by pressing the crown. Once the chronograph hand has reached the arrow, it would be stopped by pressing the pusher at 1. As soon as the bomb is dropped, the bomb aimer would press the crown again and the chronograph would go backward, calculating the moment the bomb would hit the ground. It could then be stopped with the pusher and/or reset with the crown.
The inner hectometer track is exponential compared to the seconds graduation, as the speed, and so the distance, increases over time, due to gravity.
The ingenious system was supplied by Universal Genève through the retailer Cairelli or, more rarely, by Leonidas, like with the present lot.
The system with the lever pressed to activate the crown later inspired Graham and its chronofighter.
