Swiss gold repeater with Westminster chimes carillon Circa 1912

Gold minute repeater by Paul Ditisheim
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A very fine and very rare, large Swiss 18K gold, hunting cased, keyless, minute repeating pocket watch with Westminster chimes carillon, circa 1912. Movement by Constant Piguet, Le Sentier. The case with London import marks for 1912-1913. Hinged gold cuvette engraved with exhibition prize details. Three-piece, white enamel dial with Breguet numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds. Blued steel Breguet hands. A rhodium-plated movement, 32 jewels, counterpoised straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with blued steel Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometre regulator, repeating on four gongs with four hammers activated by a slide on the band. Dial and case signed, movement engraved with Constant Piguet’s patent number and Grand Prix Paris 1900. Property of a German Collector.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: Paul Ditisheim  La Chaux de Fonds
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The present lot is in extremely good condition and has a particularly high-quality finish. The movement is unusual in that it is rhodium-plated and not frosted gilt. Carillon minute repeating watches are very rare; only a few are known with four hammers or Westminster chimes. On March 20, 1896, Constant Piguet patented this system of minute-repeat with the carillon. The makers that specialized in this type of watch were Constant Piguet, Eduard JeanRichard, and Victorin Piguet. The known tunes played by four hammer carillons are: Westminster chimes, the Swiss National anthem, and God Save the King. 

Paul Ditisheim (1868-1945) Started his own manufacture at Chaux-de-Fonds in 1892, specializing in very high precision watches and jewelled watches. Success in both spheres followed rapidly, and he won many honours. He collaborated with Dr Ch. E. Guillaume in the use of both the Guillaume “integral” balance and the Elinvar-type of auto-compensating balance spring. He also contributed many papers to scientific and horological journals. Constant Piguet In 1896 Constant Piguet is listed as being a gong maker in Le Sentier in the canton of Vaud, making carillon repeating watches with four hammers. On March 20, 1896, Constant Piguet patented this system of minute-repeat with the carillon, under the Swiss patent. These watches are those for which he is best known today and bear his patent number on the movement.