Golay Fils & Stahl Keyless Lever Chronometer
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Circa 1909
This keyless lever pocket watch was produced by Golay Fils & Stahl around 1909. Measuring 52 mm in diameter, the timepiece features a nickel-plated case housing a 20-ligne rhodium-plated movement.
The mechanical construction incorporates 21 blue sapphire jewels and a straight-line lever escapement. Precision is maintained through a Guillaume compensation balance equipped with gold temperature and meantime adjustment screws, complemented by a blued steel Breguet balance spring with a terminal curve and a swan-neck micrometer regulator. The winding mechanism utilizes a wolf’s tooth configuration. The watch is historically significant for having undergone professional certification at two prominent institutions: it received a first-class bulletin de marche from the Observatoire de Genève in November 1909, followed by a Kew A certificate from the National Physical Laboratory in Richmond in January 1910.
The original documentation for both trials accompanies the object.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Keyless lever chronometer
- Maker
- Golay Fils & Stahl, Geneve
- Jewel count
- 21 blue sapphire jewels
- Balance type
- Guillaume compensation balance
- Case diameter
- 52 mm
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Movement number
- 29379
- Movement calibre
- 20'''
- Maker / attribution
- Golay Fils & Stahl
Design
- Visible features
- • Wolf’s tooth winding gears visible on the movement • Swan-neck micrometer regulator • Breguet balance spring with terminal curve • Visible serial number 29379 engraved on the plate
- Condition and Grading
- The auction description provides a grading for the watch components. The nickel-plated case is listed as 'Good' but exhibits slight scratches. The dial is reported in 'Good' condition. The watch retains its original hands. The item is described as a 'very fine and extremely accurate' chronometer, emphasizing its technical intent as a precision instrument rather than a decorative object.
- Movement and Escapement
- The movement is a 20-ligne calibre, rhodium-plated and configured with a straight-line lever escapement. It utilizes 21 blue sapphire jewels to reduce friction. The balance assembly is a Guillaume compensation balance, specifically designed for precision chronometry, featuring gold temperature and meantime adjustment screws. Regulation is facilitated via a swan-neck micrometer regulator. The hairspring is a blued steel Breguet type with a terminal curve, and the winding system employs wolf's tooth gears. The movement is marked with the serial number 29379 and is signed by Golay Fils & Stahl.
- Observatory Trials and Certification
- This chronometer was subjected to formal testing at two of the most demanding chronometric testing institutions of the early 20th century. In November 1909, it was tested at the Observatoire de Genève, where it earned a first-class bulletin de marche. Immediately following the Geneva tests, the watch was submitted to the National Physical Laboratory in Richmond, England. On 30 January 1910, it was awarded a Kew A certificate. The original documentation for both trials has been preserved with the watch, verifying its performance history in the first-class category.
Identification
- Serial number
- 29379
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Condition report notes slight scratches on the case
- Research required: Auction description advises that an overhaul is recommended