English 18K gold keyless lever split-seconds chronograph Circa 1911

Gold repeating split-seconds chronograph by Nicole Nielsen
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An extremely fine, rare, large and heavy English 18 carat gold half-hunting cased minute repeating split-seconds chronograph keyless lever pocket watch with 60-minute register, circa 1911-1912. Frosted gilt ¾ plate movement, Ø 44 mm, 18 jewels, some in screwed chatons, a lateral counterpoised lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with gold temperature and meantime adjustment screws, an overcoiled Breguet balance spring, a diamond endstone and Nicole Nielsen chronograph mechanism, repeating on gongs activated by a slide in the band. A hinged gold cuvette. Best Venetian tint white enamel dial by master maker Willis with Roman hours, outer minute divisions, outermost seconds divided into fifths with Arabic five-minute/seconds numerals, a 60-minute register at 12 o’clock, subsidiary seconds at 6, blued steel spade hour and minute hands, a gold star chronograph hand. The massive, polished case with mastermark RN for Robert Benson North, a swivel anti-theft pendant with mastermark CH, a glazed aperture and radial black champlevé enamel Roman hours on the front, a button at 11 o’clock for the start/stop and return-to-zero functions of the chronograph, a button at 1 for the split-second and rejoin, London hallmarked for 1911-1912. Movement signed and numbered.
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Diameter:  55 mm
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Thickness: 19 mm
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Signed: Nicole Nielsen & Co 14 Soho Square London
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This timepiece is a very fine example by Nicole Nielsen and exhibits all the features of the company’s best watches: a thief-proof swivel bow, the best Venetian tint dial, split-seconds chronograph, repeating the minutes, a high-grade movement with diamond endstone and jewels in screwed chatons. The present watch is comparable in quality to the famous watch made for J. Pierpont Morgan and sold by Antiquorum, Hong Kong, October 23, 2011, lot 315.