German silver observation deck chronometer Circa 1885

Chronometer with double glazed face
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An extremely rare numbered observation deck chronometer in original transport box, made by Adolf Kittel in Altona, Germany, circa 1885. The open faced case of this watch is crafted from silver and has gold hinges, double glazed and hinged face and the case maker’s punch FE St. The white enamel rare dial has Roman hour numerals, a 75 scale at three o’clock a power reserve indicator at nine o’clock and blued steel hands. The movement has a Glashütte chronometer escapement with a gold pivoted detent, a helical hairspring and a diamond end stone.
Case and movement have matching numbers and the movement is signed.
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Diameter: 60 mm
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Weight: 180 g
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Signed: A. Kittel, Altona
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Only a few of these important Glashütte chronometers are known, among others the No. 230, 234, 235, 245 and the 251. Research shows that the present chronometer No. 221 is the earliest surviving deck chronometer by Kittel and the only one with this special dial. The movements were made by Fridolin Stübner in Glashütte on behalf of Kittel.
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Adolf Kittel
Adolf Kittel was born in Aurich in 1845. Soon afterwards he came to Altona. In 1877, several of his watches had already won awards in Hamburg and Altona. His watches also regularly took part in the chronometer tests of the Seewarte. His particular specialities were chronometers without a fusee, a new chronometer escapement, an auxiliary construction for temperature fluctuations, etc. In pendulum clocks, he developed his own free escapement and a barometer compensation for air pressure fluctuations attached to the pendulum. He also supplied various astronomical pendulum clocks to German and foreign observatories. At the trade exhibition in Hamburg in 1889, he exhibited an astronomical pendulum clock, which then became the property of the Hamburg observatory (Kittel No. 25).