Unusual Swiss gold pocket watch with special dial Circa 1860

HKD 20,000 – 25,000 / EUR 2,000 – 2,600 – Sold: HKD 29,500 / Euro 3,200
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Gold open faced with two-time-zone dial 
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A fine and very unusual Swiss, two-time-zone, 14 carat gold pocket watch with centre seconds and mercury Fahrenheit thermometer, circa 1860. A polished bezel and band, engine-turned back cover with polished border and vacant cartouche. Gold dial, matte and foliate engraved, two meantime dials, one with radial Roman numerals and outer dot minute divisions, the other with radial Arabic numerals and outer dot minute divisions, outer dot seconds divisions, curved mercury thermometer in the lower half of the dial with Fahrenheit scale calibrated from 20 to 130 degrees. Blued steel spade hands. A frosted gilt movement, the backplate cut away with scroll edges, going barrel, lateral lever escapement, three-arm gold balance, blued steel flat balance spring and an index regulator.
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Diameter: 52 mm
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Signed: No Name
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The present watch has the unusual feature of a mercury-filled glass tube thermometer as opposed to the more favoured Houriet-type bimetallic strip thermometer usually fitted to pocket watches. The dual-time-zone is geared using an extra wheel mounted beneath a bridge on the dial plate and driven from the centre wheel, the going barrel directly driving the other set of hands.