2019 STAFF FAVORITES

Owner and auctioneer, George Jones, chose the circa 1876 Davies illuminated alarm clock, which sold for $1,700 in our October 20, 2019 Live Auction.  It astounds him that this clock was not only made but also marketed, as it is so incredibly dangerous!  Automatic illumination and alarm are set by turning the inner brass disc in the center of the dial; then the top is set by locking the sand paper in the farthest position and setting a match at the farthest position.  Once the alarm rings, the coiled sand paper releases which lights the match which in turn ignites the oil lamp and illuminates the room!

 

The full description with photos can be found here: https://jones-horan.hibid.com/lot/56753317/davies-illuminated-alarm-clock--circa-1876?sortOrder=3&cpage=4

Owner/auctioneer Patty Jones’ favorite is Lot 128 from our spring 2019 Live Auction, the Alexander Watkins, London, extraordinary miniature detent chronometer made for London's 1851 Crystal Palace Great Exhibition.  Hammering at $8,600, it sold below its estimate, but Patty said, “It seems to me that it was a real fine investment for some astute buyer!”

 

View full details here: https://jones-horan.hibid.com/lot/51396998/alex-watkins--unique-miniature-chronometer?q=128

Chief operating officer/auctioneer Diana Kelly chose the Waltham Vanguard with very rare Weems seconds-setting, which attracted her eye first for the striking look of the watch with the red star at center of dial and stunning blue hands.  But it was the fact that the entire seconds register rotates while the seconds hand remains stationary that really caught her attention!  She greatly enjoyed Fred’s explanation of the watch in that the design was created for “avigation,” as well as the fact that the star detail may be indicative of the watch being adjusted to sidereal time to enable calculations based on celestial (from the star) observations.

 

The watch sold for $2,400 in the spring Live Auction and can be viewed here: https://jones-horan.hibid.com/lot/51397121/waltham--vanguard-w-rare-weems-seconds-setting?q=251

Pocket watch expert, Fred Hansen, picked the Fasoldt sold in our spring 2019 auction for $32,000.  He explains: “Charles Fasoldt was an independent watchmaker who only produced about 450 total watches during his career, and any watch made by Fasoldt is a very special piece for the collector.  Serial #43 was especially interesting though as it was made early in Fasoldt's career while at his original workshop in Rome, New York.  The movement had notable features including a helical hairspring as well as the earliest variety of Fasoldt's co-axial double wheel escapement design, and importantly the watch still had its original case which is significant as many of Fasoldt's movements have lost their original cases over the years."

 

View Fred’s full catalog description, as well as our photos, here: https://jones-horan.hibid.com/lot/51397037/charles-fasoldt--rome--ny--s-43--extremely-rare?q=167

Our wristwatch specialist, Tyler St. Gelais, has chosen a pocket watch {GASP!} as his favorite watch from the past year!  Lot 86 in our October 20, 2019 Live Auction is this John Arnold, London, gold fusee pocket chronometer with spring detent escapement and helical hairspring in 18K gold case.  He said, “I’ve always been fascinated with Arnold’s experimentation in chronometry and especially his close friendship with Abraham Louis Breguet.  This watch brings you back to a time when both men were alive and at the top of their game, so to speak.”

 

This Arnold sold for $11,500 in that auction, and you can see the full listing here: https://jones-horan.hibid.com/lot/56753269/john-arnold--london--pocket-chronometer--s-66-367?q=86

Photographer Ryan Fields informed us his special favorite from last year is the Vacheron & Constantin in enameled cabriolet pair cases.  He was just amazed by the detailed mountain and cliffside castle scene, and the periwinkle blue color really caught his eye and made this a standout watch.  It sold as lot 246 in our June 2, 2019 Live Auction for $4,400.

 

View details here: https://jones-horan.hibid.com/lot/51397116/vacheron-and-constantin--18k-enameled-reversing-case?q=246

Assistant cataloger and online store manager, Amanda Kelly, found it very difficult to choose a favorite, especially since she has been writing so many watches, allowing her to better examine and learn about each one. In fact, her two favorites were watches she initially wrote up!

 

The runner up was the Jln. LeRoy à Paris, oversize enameled verge fusee for Turkish market, because of both the uniqueness of the shutter for the winding arbor and its overall aesthetic.  This sold for $1,000 in the Fifth Annual Holiday Spectacular online auction that closed on December 5, 2019.

 

Her chosen favorite though, has to be the Vacheron & Constantin in cabriolet pair cases with beautiful enameled scenes. The whole watch was very aesthetically pleasing, and she had not seen such a beautifully enameled cabriolet style case before.  Both scenes were beautiful though she’s partial to the mountainous castle scene.  To top it off, the engraving detail to the bow, band, pendant, and bezel gave it that extra that really pushed it to its maximum attractiveness.  She did not know our photographer, Ryan, had also chosen that one as this year’s favorite!  As mentioned, it sold for $4,400 in our June 2, 2019 Live Auction.

 

To view the Vacheron: View details here: https://jones-horan.hibid.com/lot/51397116/vacheron-and-constantin--18k-enameled-reversing-case?q=246 

 

To view the LeRoy verge fusee: https://jones-horan.hibid.com/lot/58458399/jln--leroy----paris--oversize-enameled-verge-fusee?q=155

Marc Bourque, our IT manager especially liked the Hilaire Basserau, Paris, fusee quarter-hour repeater with jacquemart automation “because of the intricate detail and the visual bell-striking movement on the front.”  This watch sold in our June 2, 2019 Live Auction for $3,200.

 

View the full writeup of that Lot #224, here: https://jones-horan.hibid.com/lot/51397094/hilaire-basserau--quarter-repeater-w-jacquemart?q=224