English gold watch with split seconds chronograph Circa 1902

Gold open faced important precision watch
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An important and very fine 18 carat gold open faced split seconds chronograph precision watch, circa 1902.
Frosted gilt 2/3 plate movement, screwed gold chatons, chain/fusee, English lever escapement, gold screwed compensation balance, freesprung, blued balance spring, counterpoised lever, chatoned diamond endstone on balance. Gold cuvette.
Silvered dial with radial Roman hours, auxiliary seconds, 60 minute counter and blued spade hands. Polished case, tiered, the back with inlaid enamel monogram and crest with motto: Stand Fast dated 1st Feb. 1906, pushers for split seconds chronograph at 1 and through the crown, casemaker’s punch mark FT for Frederick Thoms. Dial signed, movement signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 61 mm
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Weight: 223 g
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Signed: J.W. Benson London 93.2 Marks a Record
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This precision timekeeper set a new record, that had never been achieved before, of a legendary 93.2 points according to observatory tests done at the Kew Observatory.
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Carrousel watches are a design by the Danish watchmaker Bahne Bonniksen, who registered the patent in 1892 in England. His intention was to create a compromise between the expensive tourbillon and a normal chronometer, he actually achieved better results with his carousel than some of the tourbillons. ‘Stand Fast’ is the motto of Clan Grant, a Highland Scottish clan.
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James William Benson, an English maker, came from a watchmaking family which had run its own company since 1749. Benson worked as a watchmaker from 1857 to 1887, around 1865 he began describing himself as ‘Watchmaker to the Prince of Wales’. At the time the company was very well-established andoffered a product range of pocket watches of all kind, complications, and pocket and marine chronometers. Benson used movements by Victor Kullberg, Mercer and Usher & Cole amongst others. Clocks and church clocks were produced, the town hall of Portsmouth for example has one of Benson’s clocks. Later Arthur H. and Alfred Benson took over the running of the company.