Grande Sonnerie Pocket Watch by Montandon
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
20th century
This 20th-century grande sonnerie quarter-repeating pocket watch is attributed to the Swiss firm Montandon. The timepiece is housed in an 18K yellow gold open-face case, which features crosshatching texture centered by an unengraved shield.
The white enamel dial is marked with both Roman and Arabic numerals, equipped with blued steel Breguet-style hands, and includes a subsidiary seconds dial. The mechanical movement is comprised of 27 jewels and includes a compensator balance and an anchor escapement. The watch functions as a grande sonnerie, an automatic chime system for hours and quarters, controlled by external sliding levers located on the rim of the case.
Winding is performed via two flush-set folding keys, and setting is managed with a gear-tooth key. The interior cuvette bears an engraved inscription documenting the maker and specifications of the movement.
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
- Grande sonnerie quarter-repeating pocket watch
- Maker
- Montandon
- Dating
- 20th century
- Material
- 18K yellow gold
- Case size
- 50mm
- Jewel count
- 27
- Functionality
- Grande sonnerie repeating
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Movement markings
- Repetition a Grande Sonnerie, Echap. Ancre Breguet, Montandon Fres. au Locle, 27 Rubis, Balancier Compensateur
- Maker / attribution
- Montandon Frères
Design
- Case and Dial
- The watch is presented in an open-face configuration with an 18K yellow gold case measuring 50mm. The exterior surface of the case back is finished with a crosshatched texture surrounding a smooth, unengraved central shield. The exterior rim is modified to accommodate sliding lever switches used to operate the repeating function. The dial is constructed of white enamel and provides time via blued steel Breguet hands. The hour indicators are presented in Roman numerals, while an outer ring provides Arabic numerals for minutes. A subsidiary seconds dial is positioned at the base of the main dial, maintaining the layout of the display.
- Visible features
- • Case features fine crosshatching pattern with central shield • Dial includes both Roman hour markers and Arabic numeral minute track • Sliding lever controls are visible on the exterior case rim • Movement internal layout includes anchor escapement and compensator balance
- Movement and Mechanics
- The timepiece is powered by a grande sonnerie movement, which automatically strikes the hours and quarters. The mechanism is described as having an anchor escapement and a compensator balance. It contains 27 jewels. The movement requires specific mechanical intervention to operate, utilizing two flush-set folding keys for winding and a separate gear-tooth key for setting the time.
- Signatures and Inscriptions
- The identity of the movement is established by an inscription engraved directly onto the gold cuvette, which is the internal dust cover protecting the mechanism. The text identifies the firm as 'Montandon Fres' located in Le Locle, Switzerland. The inscription further details the horological specifications of the piece, including the repeating complication and the escapement type. It also confirms the jewel count, corresponding to the total of 27 jewels mentioned in the provided product documentation.
Identification
- 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: The exact decade of 20th-century production is not specified
- Research required: The specific source of the '27 jewels' figure is not externally verified by independent movement examination