Description
Geneva, May 12, 2024
ZENITH, SWITZERLAND, CARILLON, GRANDE SONNERIE, CARILLON TRIP MINUTE-REPEATER, THREE GONGS, THREE HAMMERS, 18K YELLOW GOLD
A fine, large and rare, 18k yellow gold, manual wind hunting cased, cover and case-back engraved decoration in taille-douce (fine-cut). Trip minute-repeating, keyless, two-train, carillon grande sonnerie clock watch with three hammers and three gongs.
Excellent
Very good
Slightly scratched
Good
Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Very good
HANDS Original
Brand Zenith, Switzerland
Model carillon
Year Circa 1900
Case No. 146079
Diameter 55 mm.
Caliber 20’’’, 30 jewels, gilded brass, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensated balance with gold poising screws and blued steel hairspring with terminal curve, polished steel index regulator; repeater work on the main plate, under the dial, with silent centrifugal force governor to regulate the speed of the repetition mechanism.
Signature Dial, case and movement
This type of minute-repeating GRANDE SONNERIE clockwatch movement, with carillon on three gongs with three stacked hammers but without Petite Sonnerie, were usually commercialised by ZENITH using the CESAR RACINE patent.
César Racine, Le Locle
The house César Racine at Le Locle (Neuchâtel Mountains) is created in the 1880’s by César Racine (1851-1931); it is located at 2, avenue du Nouveau Collège.
This house is famous for its simplified Grande Sonnerie watches that it produces with minute-repeater on two or three gongs, then called Carillon or chimes. These watches can automatically strike every fifteen minutes, the hours and quarters elapsed (position “Sonnerie” or “Chime” / “Silence”), and strikes on request, hours, quarters and minutes elapsed.
