English minute repeating chronograph tourbillon Circa 1902

Repeating split-seconds chronograph with tourbillon by Charles Frodsham
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An exceptional, very fine and large English yellow gold open faced minute repeating split seconds keyless chronograph watch with one-minute tourbillon and 60-minute register, presented to William Gould Harding by John Piermont Morgan, London hallmark 1902. Movement with first quality gilt 3/4 plate with double roller ratchet tooth lever escapement and free-sprung regulation, Guillaume balance with spiral blued steel balance spring and overcoil, the tourbillon with Nicole Nielsen Type 2 three armed polished steel tourbillon carriage, the back-plate further mounted with polished steel chronograph work, repeating on two polished steel gongs, signed By Appointment to the King AD Fmsz, Chas Frodsham, 115 New Bond Strt, Late of 84 Strand, London.
T. J. Willis type ‘Venetian’ enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer ring calibrated for minutes and chronograph fifths, subsidiary dials for constant seconds, and 60-minute register.
Polished case, split pusher to the band above 11 o’clock, recessed repeating slide, gold hand-set button with gold olivette, S knuckle joint and turning pendant, gold dome engraved W.G.H. from J.P.M. 1903, maker’s mark HMF for Harrison Mill Frodsham. Comes with an original presentation case.
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Diameter: 63 mm
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Signed: By Appointment to the King AD Fmsz, Chas Frodsham 115 New Bond Strt, Late of 84 Strand, London
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Amongst a number of eminent worldwide Charles Frodsham clients, perhaps the most famous, was the Morgan family of New York. Frodshams was the Morgan’s preferred choice for quality timepieces. The association began when Junius Morgan became a business partner in the English branch of the banking house, George Peabody & Co., in 1854. The purchase and maintenance of fine clocks and watches for the Morgan family were continued by John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) who in 1883 presented a complicated watch to his personal valet George William on the occasion of his marriage. This watch was the forerunner to the most celebrated, and well-known, of the Frodsham watches ordered by the Morgans, a series of state-of-the-art open face Tourbillons with minute repeating, split-second chronograph, minute register, and constant seconds.

To date, some 25 (made between 1897 and 1931) of these watches are known, either as extant or from archive records. They were, at the time of manufacture, one of the most complicated and expensive English production watches available, retailing at £200 to £300.

The ‘Morgan caliper’ watches were presentation pieces given by J.P. and J.P. Jnr. to close friends and/or new partners of the firm of JP Morgan, thus starting the long tradition of Frodsham presentation watches, perpetuated to this day. All are engraved with presentation inscriptions (the recipients and JPM initials with the year of presentation), and many still retain their original red leather Frodsham boxes, similarly inscribed.