English 18 carat gold watch in a magnificent case Circa 1880

Pocket watch with deep magnificent engraving
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A pocket watch rarity this Perpetuelle in a magnificent golden case, made by Loehr in London, England, circa 1880. The numbered open faced square case of this watch was crafted from 18 carat gold and is magnificently engraved. The white enamel dial has gold Arabic five minute- and black Roman hour numerals, subsidiary dials for seconds and power reserve and gold hands. The watch has a numbered automatic movement according to the Loehr patent.
Case and movement have matching numbers and the dial is signed.
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Dimensions: 47 x 47 mm
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Weight: 120 g
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Signed: Loehr Patent
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This version of a Loehr “Perpetuelle” is still in its original box and is a real rarity. The only comparable specimen know, was auctioned in Geneva in 1995 and the estimate at the time was CHF 15.000 to 18.000.
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August Ritter von Löhr, Viennese engineer
August Ritter von Löhr was born in Venice on May 5, 1847. In 1878, he registered an English patent for a pocket watch movement with automatic winding via a pendulum flywheel (pedometer principle, step counter principle).

Von Löhr had pocket watches made with this movement in his own workshop (Self winding Watch Co.) in London. Two housing designs were used: round and square. The latter was made by Hahn Frères & Cie. Made in Landeron (a Swiss watch company founded in 1875).

Von Löhr’s pocket watch was the only automatic watch of its kind that achieved a certain level of popularity. After all, around 4.000 pieces of the round version were manufactured and sold. Löhr had the elevator and the housing bracket protected by a range of patents in Germany and England which wer all filed in 1880.

August Ritter von Löhr died on November 21, 1917 in Vienna.