Early German silver military detent chronometer Circa 1910

Silver open faced military chronometer watch by Lauritz Jensen
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An early German silver open faced keyless military detent deck chronometer watch, circa 1910.
Exquisite 3/4 plate gilt finished chronometer movement, Glashütte chronometer escapement, bimetallic chronometer compensation balance, helical hairspring, finely engraved balance cock. Silvered dial with Roman numerals, sunken subsidiary seconds dial, and blued steel hands. Silver cuvette. Oversized polished plain case with a hinged back. Case stamped by maker F. Ehehalt, Stuttgart, and K.u.K Kriegsmarine No.44. Dial and movement signed and numbered by the watchmaker.
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Diameter: 63 mm
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Weight: 197 g
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Signed: L. Jensen Glashütte i/S 44
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Pocket chronometers by Jensen are absolute rarities. They are even rarer than the chronometers by Lange & Söhne. At the age of 24, Lauritz Jensen became a student at the Glashütte watchmaking school in 1889. From 1890 he worked at A. Lange & Söhne. At the same time, he was already working as an independent chronometer maker. In 1897/98, Lauritz Jensen took part in the annual chronometer competition for the first time, held by the Deutsche Seewarte Hamburg since 1877. So far, it was hardly known that the Glashütte chronometer maker Lauritz Jensen also made a few Glashütte pocket watches. In addition to the watch presented here, the number 46 is also a well-known pocket chronometer with chronometer escapement. In 1912 Lauritz Jensen gave up his self-employment and worked in the chronometry department of company A. Lange & Söhne, succeeding Fridolin Stübner. He worked in this position until 31 December 1919.