Swiss 18 Carat gold split seconds lever chronograph Circa 1893

Gold open faced dress watch by Patek Philippe for Tiffany
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A very fine and exceptionally rare, Swiss 18 Carat gold full hunter cased keyless double train independent split seconds chronograph watch with a 30-minute recorder, foudroyante returning to zero and a special overcoil safety device, circa 1893.
Bridge movement, calibre 18″, rhodium plated, two hammers, two gongs, tandem winding with click works for two barrels, gold train, gold screw compensation balance and counterpoised lever. Enamel dial with Breguet style radial hours, outer minutes and seconds track with red Arabic five minutes and seconds numerals, sunk subsidiary dial for the quarter seconde foudroyante (jumping seconds) at six o’clock, 30 minutes register at 12 o’clock, split seconds and blued spade hands. Polished 18 Carat gold case with pushers for the chronograph and engraved monogram on the back.
Dial, case and movement signed. Sold to Tiffany on July 1893.
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Diameter: 52 mm
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Signed: Tiffany & Co. New York
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Watches with jumping seconds( foudroyante) that return to zero are exceptionally rare; they require a special additional mechanism which, without moving the sweep seconds hand, allows the diablotine to start again and stop at zero. Patek Philippe made only a few watches with diablotine, most of them in the 27000 series. Only two are known from later series; this one and o. 124946. Adrien Philippe was one of a group of watchmakers working on the flyback chronograph and diablotine. His invention was one of the simplest yet most effective solutions to the problem.