About this lot

Description

circa 1927, the white dial, 28mm diameter, with skeletonised black Arabic numerals, (originally) luminous skeletonised hands, subsidiary seconds register at 6 o'clock and chemin de fer chapter ring, all within a milled bezel, 17 jewel mechanical crown wind movement number 100261 with hand setting button at 4 o'clock, within a threaded carrier ring, one piece case by François Borgel, interior numbered 4688 2, in addition to Chester import marks for 9ct gold with sponsor marks for Rotherham & Sons, with threaded inner to take the movement housing, verso plain and polished, with fixed wire lugs to an aftermarket brown leather strap with pin buckle

Footnote: François Borgel started making watch cases at the end of the 19th century from his workshops in Geneva and in 1891, he patented the screw down watch case design that bears his name today, the 'Borgel Case'. The Borgel case was first used for pocket watches before being widely used during the First World War for wristwatches. A watch with a Borgel case was significantly more expensive than one in an ordinary case, but it was the best available at the time for life in the trenches and military men rarely economised on kit on which their lives depended. The case back and middle part are in one piece, so there is no opening at the back. The front opening of the case is thickened and threaded internally with a fine thread. The movement, complete with dial and hands, is mounted in an externally threaded carrier ring, and the bezel carrying the crystal is mounted onto the end of this carrier ring. The assembly of carrier ring with movement, dial, hands, bezel and crystal is then screwed into the case from the front with the crown and spring-loaded stem fully retracted. Borgel cases are now rare and are much sought after by collectors.

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