Paul Ditisheim
A silver open-faced keyless lever deck watch with register, up-and-down indication and Kew Observatory rating stamp, No. 46890, Circa 1923
Movement: lever escapement, 21 jewels, 9 adjustments, gilt three-quarter plate movement, Guillaume balance, backplate signed Paul Ditisheim, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, The Highest Records at Kew Teddington and Swiss Observatories, Compensateur Guillaume 1 ère Classe, No. 46890 Dial: silvered dial, Roman numerals, subsidiary dials for constant seconds and up-and-down indication, signed Paul Ditisheim, La Chaux-de Fonds, Grand Prix, Paris 1900, No. 46890 Case: silver, fluted band, special waterproof screw-down caps for crown and olivette, case stamped with 0.935 standard silver marks, casemaker's mark and numbered 46890, the case back engraved Kew Observatory 95,6 Marks, Paul Ditisheim, 46890, Compensateur Guillaume, H.R., D Signed: case, cuvette, dial and movement Diameter: 65 mm Accessories: accompanied by letter from the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex, dated October 9th, 1968, confirming the submission of a group of twelve Ditisheim watches for test examination, including the present example, chronometer No. 46890, which was awarded first prize at Kew in May 1920, scoring 95.6 pointsMany Swiss watchmakers submitted their chronometers to the Kew Observatory in England, both to compete with English manufacturers and to maintain visibility among English buyers. The first recorded Swiss entry was in 1887, when Henri Capt of Geneva presented a repeater. In the years that followed, Ulysse Montandon-Robert deposited several complicated timepieces, including minute repeaters and chronographs. In 1903, Paul Ditisheim entered a pocket chronometer that topped the list with a score of 94.9 marks, a record he surpassed in 1912 with 96.1 marks. After the Observatory relocated to Teddington, Ditisheim pushed the benchmark even higher, achieving 97.0 marks between 1923 and 1924. A pivotal moment came in 1907, when Patek Philippe claimed 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th places in the rankings, while Vacheron Constantin secured 3rd and 4th—signaling the growing dominance of Swiss makers in and English observatory. These competitions soon gained significant prestige within the Swiss watch industry. The present example is accompanied by a letter from the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex, dated October 9th, 1968, confirming the submission of a group of twelve Ditisheim watches for test examination, including the present lot. This example received a Class A rating at the Kew Observatory with a total of 95.6 marks, as documented in a letter from the National Physical Laboratory dated 1968.
