German rare splendour Glashütte pocket watch in quality 1A Circa 1880

Gold hunting cased pocket watch by M. Grossmann
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A very fine, rare splendour Glashütte hunting cased pocket watch, manufactured in quality 1A, with magnificent case decoration for the British market, circa 1880. This model is a striking show-piece, a unique blend of all the characteristic features of a fine Grossmann timepiece.
Splendid 18-carat gold case with deep engraving, both sides with Renaissance-style high relief ornaments. Silver dial with applied floral gold ornaments a trois couleurs, lavishly florally engraved, radial Roman numerals, subsidiary dial for the seconds, and Fleur-de-Lys hands. Nickel-plated 3/4 plate movement, screwed gold chatons, pink gold centre wheel, gold screw compensation balance, gold lever and escape wheel and chatoned diamond endstone on balance. Dome and movement signed.
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Diameter: 50 mm
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Weight: 124 g
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Signed: M. Grossmann, London
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It is interesting and very unusual for a timepiece to bear the signature London. We know that Moritz Grossman took part in industrial exhibitions in London – the case of the watch is decorated in the most exquisite manner and the movement is of supreme quality; it could easily have been part of such an exhibition.
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Carl Moritz Grossmann
Carl Moritz Grossmann was born in Dresden on March 27, 1826; his father was a sorter at the Royal Court Post Office. Moritz grew up in modest circumstances, but his teachers at school soon realized that he was an exceptionally gifted pupil, and he received a free place at the – Technische Bildungsanstalt – (which was later to become Dresden’s Technical University). This enabled him to study for two years – just like Ferdinand Adolph Lange some years before him.
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In 1842 Grossmann began his apprenticeship with the watchmaker Gottfried Friedrich Kumme (sen.) in Dresden and was allowed to end his apprenticeship early because of his unusual talent. He also learnt English, French and Italian; at the same time Grossmann became friends with the watchmaker Lange who was 11 years older. Both men were ambitious and meticulous workers, keen to learn and to build watches. His travels took Moritz Grossmann to Altona in 1847 where he worked with chronometer maker Moritz Krille; afterwards he went to stay with watchmaker to the Munich court Josef Bierganz. He went on to the La Chaux-de-Fonds, the Swiss stronghold of the watchmaking industry; from there he travelled to England, France, Denmark and Sweden, always on the lookout for opportunities to learn and further his knowledge and abilities in watchmaking. He only returned to Dresden for a short while in 1854 before moving to Glashütte , about 30 km from Dresden.
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In Glashütte Grossmann invented the – Glashütter Drehstuhl”, a small watchmaker’s lathe. He began devoting himself to the construction of lever escapements and tried to perfect the pivoted detent escapement. He also built precision tools, movement models, fine pocket watches and marine chronometers. Grossmann mastered this multitude of tasks with a team of highly qualified colleagues; he was able to win the two expert watchmakers LudwigStrasser and Carl Maucksch for his workshop. This allowed Grossmann not only to build his own watches but also pass his knowledge on to others. Grossmann gave lectures, wrote articles for national and international horological magazines and translated technical books such as Claudius Saunier’s textbook on watchmaking – Lehrbuch der Uhrmacherei – , which consisted of several volumes.
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In 1866 Grossmann was the first German to win a competition at the British Horological Institute in London with his paper “On the detached lever”. Moritz Grossmann was also very socially and politically active; he founded the voluntary fire brigade of the sports club in Glashütte, the military club and supported the building of the railway link to the Mueglitz valley.
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After his wife died in 1871, he remarried and the couple had three children. In 1876 Grossmann became a member of the state parliament of Saxony. He initiated and created the concept for the German Watchmaking School in Glashütte; he founded the school in 1878 and served as its first chairman of the board and taught maths and languages at the school. Moritz Grossman died after a stroke on January 23, 1885 in Leipzig, shortly after holding a lecture on the introduction of Universal Time. Just like his friend Lange he was only 60 years old when he died. After Grossmann’s sudden death his factory in Glashütte was dissolved. Sincere thanks are given to the Grossmann Uhren GmbH for the text and the information provided.