Gold Watch no. 665

Case: Dial: Movement: Provenance: 18?? - Potter, Geneve Jones Horan auction, 6 May 2012, $17,000, "DESCRIPTION: APW - albert potter, Geneva (born in New York 1836), marketed by Fritz Piguet & Bachmann, Geneve, L Bachmann, Successor, lever chronometer with date, 51mm, 18K rose gold OF original case with solid gold cuvette, the latter marked "No 12148, Chronometre, Echappement a Ancre, Balancier Compense, Spiral Breguet, Quantieme, 20 Rubis" with signature ring surround for Piguet & Bachmann, glazed observation cover in addition to cuvette, SW-SS, WED with sunken chapters for seconds and date at 3 and 9, fully capped lever escapement, 20J, fausses-cotes NI damascene, s#12148 on case mvt, and under dial, with number 664 under dial additionally; owner's name engraved inside back, back monogram engraved over with decorative cartouche. Calendar may be advanced by depressing (with pointed object) a tiny flush button in the band at 9. See albert potter s#20, sold at this gallery on 4/27/2008, lot 347, with identical ebauche, simple regulator. The present watch has pivoted regulator with scale on plate, in addition to the calendar mechanism, and is identical to the potter in the Gerd Ahrens collection, that one being in silver, s#12153/669, only five numbers apart from this watch, s#12148/664, by both numbering systems. The Ahrens potter is apparently signed by potter while this one bears only the retailer signature. The information above is published in "Die Taschenuhrensammlung von Gerd Ahrens" by Christian Pfeiffer-Belli et al, second volume, pages 536-7. CONDITION: Mvt: GRO, good balance motion, good poise, fine plates show light cloudiness and oil smear overall, a few MFS on cock, MFS and scuff on regulator scale, fine to near mint slots & near mint settings, no oxide on bright work; dial perfect; hands in mint purple; original heavy gauge case shows little wear but the over-engraving is a distraction - the best way to fix this is probably through expert laser filling with matching gold to rebuild the surface, which then can be rendered flat; otherwise case shows few MFS, a few small dents & dings in the band only; bow tight, crown shows very light wear; good glass crystal, clean plastic crystal over the movement; a very clean example by this American maker who found his way to Switzerland, but retains his legendary identity in this country as American PRICE SOLD: $17,000" 2012 - 2014 - Bonhams, 12 Jun 2014, est $6-8,000, " Albert H. Potter, Geneva. A fine 18K rose gold open face lever watch with date Unsigned, retailed by Fritz Piguet & Bachmann, Genève, Case No. 12149 20-jewel nickel divided ¾ plate movement with Potter's signature "AP" bridges, jewels in gold settings, straight line escapement with hook shaped counterpoise, bimetallic balance, blued overcoiled spring, articulated regulator with index on barrel bridge, stem wound and set, gold cuvette engraved with description of the watch, white enamel dial with minute ring enclosing arabic chapters, subsidiary seconds at 3 o'clock, date ring at 9 o'clock, blued breguet hands, retailer's monogrammed case 51mm 101.8 grams " 2016 - Bonhams, 7 Jun 2016, $4,375, " Albert H. Potter, Geneva. A fine 18K rose gold open face lever watch with date Unsigned, retailed by Fritz Piguet & Bachmann, Genève, Case No. 12149 20-jewel nickel divided ¾ plate movement with Potter's signature "AP" bridges, jewels in gold settings, straight line escapement with hook shaped counterpoise, bimetallic balance, blued overcoiled spring, articulated regulator with index on barrel bridge, stem wound and set, gold cuvette engraved with description of the watch, white enamel dial with minute ring enclosing arabic chapters, subsidiary seconds at 3 o'clock, date ring at 9 o'clock, blued breguet hands, retailer's monogrammed case 51mm 101.8 grams Saleroom notices Potter serial number 665 on movement under the dial. "