Swiss chronograph with quarter-second diablotine Circa 1870

Gold two-train independent split-seconds chronograph by F. Guédin
–
A very fine, rare and heavy Swiss 18 carat gold hunting cased two-train independent split-seconds chronograph keyless lever pocket watch with ¼th second diablotine, circa 1870. Nickel movement, 30 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, tandem winding, heart-piece on the backplate. White enamel dial with narrow Roman numerals, outer minute track, outermost seconds divided into quarters, subsidiary quarter-second jump diablotine and blued steel Breguet hands. Case with engine-turned and polished covers, reeded band. Hinged gold cuvette with engine-turned border. Dial, cuvette and movement signed, case numbered.
–
Diameter: 56 mm
–
Signed: F. Guédin Geneva
–
The feature known as a diablotine is a small subsidiary dial on a chronograph or independent centre seconds pocket watch, the hand of which moves in a jumping manner at intervals of 1/4 or 1/5th of a second. The term literally means ‘little devil’. The diablotine is halted when the chronograph or centre seconds is stopped and the fractions of a second can be read.