French chronometer with spring detent escapement Circa 1825

Silver pocket chronometer by David Du Chemin
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An extremely rare French Double Barrel chronometer with a balance wheel like Arnold’s U+O Balance, circa 1821.
Extremely rare chronometer movement, two barrels, experimental spring detent chronometer escapement with the balance of the Arnold U+O type, and helical hairspring. Polished silver case with case number 3539 and case maker’s mark FV for François-Jean Veyrat. Signed and numbered original enamel dial with Roman radial hours, outer minutes track, subsidiary dial for the seconds (seconds hand missing), and blued Breguet steel hands.
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Diameter: 76 mm
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Weight: 350 g
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Signed: Du Chemin a Paris
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The watch is an extremely rare piece for connoisseurs of rare pocket chronometers. Similar movements can be found in some of Arnold’s and Breguet’s marine chronometers between 1821 and 1835. A ‘Double Barrel’ chronometer movement in a pocket watch is extremely rare.
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David Du Chemin was a watchmaker in Rouen around 1650. Very little is known about this watchmaker. He was a contemporary of Noël Hubert, Etienne Hubert, Timothé Hubert, Robert Hubert, and Balthazar Martinot.