American gold Patent Chronometer pocket watch Circa 1870

Gold pocket chronometer watch by Charles Fasoldt
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A heavy American Precision Patent Chronometer with Fasoldt’s patented coaxial double wheel lever chronometer escapement, circa 1870. 18 Carat rose gold, engine turned, à goutte case, engine turned band, case maker’s punch mark MRM (Martin Matthews, Otvord), glazed movement. Enamel dial with radial Roman numerals in Gothic style, auxiliary seconds and blued spade hands. Bridge movement, rhodium plated, ground, signed: Pat. April 5. 1864 & March 7. 1865, train with six armed wheels, escape wheel with large locking and small impulse wheel, gold screw compensation balance, Fasoldt’s patented special form fine adjusting device.
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Diameter: 51 mm
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Weight: 154 g
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Signed: Charles Fasoldt, Albany, New York
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Charles Fasoldt (1818-1898)
Fasoldt was born in Germany and was sentenced to death in 1848 because he participated in the revolution. He escaped from jail, though and emigrated to the United States. He settled in Albany and began setting up an impressive enterprise, which produced clocks, measuring instruments and microscopes, and his famous watches. Furthermore, he sold the watches for 150 to 300 dollars per piece, which was a considerable price then. All watches were designed by Fasoldt, and nearly all of his patented anchor escapement. For his pocket watches, he invented a mechanism for winding and setting the hands – this cleared the way for the change from key wind to crown wind systems. Fasoldt patented his extraordinarily dependable escapement on March 7, 1865; the system requires no greasing and has a strong drag angle at both anchor pallets. Fasoldt carried out a spectacular test to prove the reliability of his escapement: he attached one of his pocket watches as well as several watches of other makers to the connecting rod of an Empire Express train engine for a return trip to Albany – New York – Albany. After the bumpy ride, Fasoldt’s watch showed only a slight deviation, while all the other watches had stopped after just a few minutes.