Henri Motel Marine Chronometer No. 123
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1840
This marine chronometer, identified as No. 123, is attributed to Henri Motel, dating to approximately 1840. The instrument features a brass case designed in the "en forme de tabatière" style, reminiscent of designs used by Louis Berthoud, with a winding hole located on the bezel protected by a sliding cover.
It is housed within a three-body mahogany box equipped with gimbal suspension in a velvet-lined bowl. The dial is silvered, displaying Roman numerals, a subsidiary seconds dial, and a 24-hour up-and-down power reserve sector. The movement is a brass Motel-caliber construction, featuring a fusee with a chain, a maintaining power mechanism, and a pivoted detent escapement. The escapement, balance, and helical palladium balance spring were later modifications executed by Vissière, a chronometer maker active in Le Havre during the latter half of the 19th century.
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
- Marine chronometer
- Maker
- Henri Motel
- Case material
- Mahogany
- Dial diameter
- 80 mm
- Balance spring
- Helical palladium
- Place recorded
- France
- Escapement type
- Pivoted detent
- Winding mechanism
- Bezel winding
- Modification Maker
- Vissière
- Maker / attribution
- Henri Motel
Design
- Visible features
- • Silvered dial with 24-hour power reserve indicator • Mahogany box with glazed upper section • Blued steel hands of Breguet type • Winding hole located on the bezel with sliding cover
- Movement and Modifications
- The movement is a brass construction following the Motel caliber specifications and is fully jeweled. It utilizes a fusee and chain mechanism equipped with maintaining power. The chronometer employs a Louis Berthoud-type pivoted detent escapement for accuracy. During the tenure of Vissière in Le Havre, the chronometer underwent significant technical upgrades. These included the installation of a new balance featuring two cylindrical weights and timing screws, paired with a helical palladium balance spring characterized by its terminal curves. These components were specifically adjusted to improve the chronometer's performance.
- Case and External Construction
- The chronometer is housed in a three-body box constructed from mahogany, which includes a glazed upper section and a hinged lid. The housing facilitates maritime utility through brass gimbals that support a velvet-lined brass bowl containing the movement. The internal case is fashioned in a tabatière style, noted for its functional form. A distinct design feature is the winding arrangement, which is integrated directly into the bezel. This aesthetic and functional approach is compared in historical descriptions to the chronometers produced by Louis Berthoud.
- Dial and Timekeeping Indications
- The dial is silvered and presents time through Roman numerals. It includes two subsidiary functions: a seconds dial and a 24-hour sector designed to track the power reserve, commonly referred to as an up-and-down indicator. The time is indicated by blued steel Breguet-style hands. The power reserve indication is not an original feature of the movement but was added during a later restoration period. The dial bears an inscription explicitly documenting this intervention by Vissière, indicating the instrument was modified and regulated for improved performance.
Identification
- Serial number
- 123
- 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 date of the modifications by Vissière is not specified
- Research required: The original movement parts replaced by Vissière are not documented