Swiss anti-magnetic centre seconds lever watch Circa 1941

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Kenmerk
AD9001
Diameter
53 mm
Estimate
€ 1.500 - 3.000
Price sold
€ 1.500

Stainless steel G.C.T. precision watch 
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A rare Swiss stainless steel open faced lever deck watch with 24-hour indication and 24-hour power reserve made for the U.S. armed forces, circa 1941.
The polished case with a pushback and seconds stop device. Silvered dial with painted 24-hour graduation, Arabic numerals, an outer minute track, centre seconds, a sector for the power reserve indication below 12 and blued leaf hands. A ground nickel-plated bridge movement with three adjustments, 21 jewels, a Glucydur screw balance, cam-type fine adjusting device and Glucydur lever. Movement signed Agassiz Watch Comp. St. Imier GCT.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Weight: 84 g
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Signed: Agassiz Watch Co Swiss
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The designation G.C.T. (Greenwich Civil Time) was originally introduced in America to bring some order into the somewhat confusing concept of time measurement. In nautical science, noon (12) marked the end of the day, whereas in astronomical usage it was the start of that same day. In article VI of its resolutions, the International Meridian Conference in Washington in 1884 expressed the hope that “as soon as may be practicable the astronomical and nautical days will be arranged everywhere to begin at midnight”. So Greenwich Civil Time was, in fact, the same as Greenwich Mean Time but with the day starting at midnight. One of the few protests against this suggestion came from the British Royal Navy, who used the abbreviation GCT for Gunnery Control Tower and expected this to lead to confusion.
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Agassiz Watch Co. S.A. was founded in 1876 and specialized in high-quality watches. A new calibre was designed based on regular 19”’ watch movements, smaller in diameter and as slim as technically possible. The firm designed entirely new and even thinner movements: first 17”’- 24/12th, then 20/12th and 17/12th. Later, Agassiz merged with Touchon & Co., Geneva, which specialized in very thin movements. 

Signed: Agassiz Watch Co Swiss

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