English complicated repeating chronograph clockwatch Circa 1903

Gold astronomical lever clock watch by S. Smith & Son
–
An important and massive gold English grande and petite sonnerie two train clockwatch with trip minute repetition, perpetual calendar, split seconds chronograph, and tri colour dial, circa 1903. This exceptional timepiece features a gilded three quarter plate movement with two train, lever escapement, bi metallic compensation balance, precision regulation, and a visible chronograph mechanism on the backplate. It also includes a repeating function with two coiled gongs. The movement is signed and numbered by S. Smith & Son, Watchmaker, to the Admiralty, located at 9 Strand, London, with the serial number 309-2.
–
The dial is adorned with white and turquoise enamel and gold, Roman numerals and three subsidiary dials for up and down indication combined with a gold chapter ring for leap year indication, constant seconds combined with a gold chapter ring for months, and a 60 minute register combined with a gold chapter ring for days of the week. The outer turquoise enamel ring is calibrated for the date with a central gold indicating hand. The watch features blued steel spade hour and minute hands, blued steel split seconds hands, and a black outer ring for minutes and chronograph seconds.
–
The case is made of massive 18 carat gold with rounded bezels, a plain polished cuvette, a gold pendant and bow, and slides on the right case side for trip repeat and hour andquarters for selecting grande and petite sonnerie. There is also a further slide to the lower left case side between 7 and 8 o’clock for strike and silent function, an olivette with protective shoulders, a chronograph pusher through the crown, and a large split pusher to its left. The case back is hallmarked 1903, and the gold polished cuvette, case, and cuvette are all marked with the case maker’s mark SS for Samuel Smith and each numbered 309-2.
–
Diameter: 77 mm
–
Height including pendant: 106 mm
–
Depth including crystal: 31.5 mm
–
Signed: S. Smith & Son, London
–
The dial is in good overall condition, except for a very small hairline between the two lower subsidiary dials. The case is impressive and massive, with strong hinges and good definition to the bezels. All slides, switches, and pushers appear to be working well. The movement is running and repeating, but it has some light scuffs and scratches on the gilded plates.
–
At the turn of the 20th century, S. Smith and Son was a leading London maker of complex watches. Founded in 1851 by jeweller and watchmaker Samuel Smith, the firm also collaborated with Nicole Nielsen in watch production. In addition to watches, the company excelled in manufacturing chronometers, leading to it becoming a supplier to the Admiralty. The business expanded under the supervision of Herbert S.A. Smith and continued as a family-run organisation for generations. It later diversified into automobile and aircraft instruments, alongside clocks and watches. The present lot represents one of the largest watches produced by S. Smith & Sons, showcasing the expertise of this prestigious English watchmaker.
–
Another similarly sized, complex example is a special order double dial astronomical watch by Audemars Piguet, completed in 1920 with 15 complications. The present lot, No. 309-2, is also similar to a watch by E. Dent, with a diameter of 72 mm and a nearly identical dial layout. However, the Dent watch features a white enamel dial, unlike the tri colour dial of the present lot. Interestingly, Dent produced that watch for the renowned collector James Ward Packard of Warren, Ohio.
–
It is possible to speculate that the intended purchaser of the present lot may have been an astronomer, requiring a clearly legible dial for measurements. The dial bears similarity to and possibly takes inspiration from the famous astronomical watches by Jacob Auch, who worked in Stuttgart in the early 19th century. The coloration of the present lot notably resembles some of the Auch pieces.