Julien Le Roy Centre Seconds Rack-Lever Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1800
This centre seconds pocket watch, attributed to Julien Le Roy à Paris, dates to circa 1800 and is of Swiss origin. The 58 mm diameter timepiece is housed in a contemporary gilt brass case featuring a polished finish and a reeded band.
Its dial is white enamel and eccentric, displaying Arabic numerals for the hours and an outer Arabic seconds track. The hinged, full-plate movement is constructed of gilt brass and utilizes a fusee with chain drive. Its primary technical feature is an early form of continental rack-lever escapement incorporating a pirouette, with the spiral spring mounted directly onto the pirouette wheel. This specific mechanical arrangement allows the escapement to beat seconds.
The watch is documented in horological literature, including appearances in A.F.A.H.A. bulletin No. 13 and the Uhren Journal für Sammler Klassischer Zeitmesser.
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
- Date
- circa 1800
- Type
- Centre seconds pocket watch
- Maker
- Julien Le Roy à Paris
- Diameter
- 58 mm
- Escapement
- Rack-lever with pirouette
- Literature
- Uhren Journal für Sammler Klassischer Zeitmesser
- Case material
- Gilt brass
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Maker / attribution
- Julien Le Roy à Paris
Design
- Case and Dial
- The watch is presented in a contemporary gilt brass case measuring 58 mm in diameter. The exterior finish is polished, complemented by a reeded band. The dial is composed of white enamel and follows an eccentric layout. It features Arabic numerals to indicate the hours and includes an outer Arabic seconds ring, facilitating the display of the seconds through the centre seconds mechanism.
- Visible features
- • Gilt brass full-plate movement • Fusee and chain transmission • Pirouette wheel with mounted spiral spring
- Movement and Escapement
- The movement is a hinged full-plate design rendered in gilt brass. It operates via a fusee and chain mechanism. The signature of the maker is engraved on the back plate of the movement. The watch features a rare early continental form of the rack-lever escapement. This assembly includes a pirouette, with the spiral spring mounted directly to the pirouette wheel. This specific technical configuration is intended to enable the escapement to beat the seconds.
- Literature and Documentation
- This horological object has been the subject of documented study in professional literature. It was described and illustrated by Y. Droz and J. Flores in the A.F.A.H.A. bulletin No. 13, published in the Spring of 1983. Additionally, the watch is recorded in the publication Uhren Journal für Sammler Klassischer Zeitmesser, specifically in issue 2/94 on page 37, where it is also described and illustrated.
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 specific attribution to Julien Le Roy remains a subject of the auction description.
- Research required: The exact functional condition of the escapement beyond the stated good condition is not verified.