Swiss gold repeating split seconds chronograph Circa 1915

Gold chronograph with open face by Patek Philippe
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A fine and rare Swiss gold minute repeating keyless-winding lever watch with minute recorder and split-seconds chronograph, circa 1915.
Rhodium-plated movement, 39 jewels, going barrel, straight-line equilibrated lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensated balance with gold and platinum poising screws and blued steel hairspring with a terminal curve, index regulator with swan-neck spring and micrometric screw; chronograph work on the top plate, split-seconds work mounted under the dial.

White enamel dial with suspended Breguet numerals, subsidiary seconds at 6, pink gold Louis XV hands, and four horological complications: • Minute-repeater on two steel gongs (activated by the slide at 8 o’clock); • 1/5 second chronograph (activated by the single round push-piece located on the winding-crown); safety bolt locking the chronograph’s functions (slide at 11 o’clock); • Split-seconds (activated by the rectangular push-piece located on the case band at 10:30); • Half-instantaneous 30-minute recorder.

Round-shaped 18K yellow gold case, case back polished and blue and red enamelled in champlevé with the cypher A S L. Cuvette (dome) engraved in taille-douce (fine-cut) with the mention To / Albert Lincoln Smith / in grateful appreciation of / your unselfish help / and advice for / many years / Harry W. Child / Christmas 1920.

Dial, case and movement signed. Accompanied by a Patek Philippe presentation box, a certificate of Origin, an extract from the Archives confirming the date of sale on December 24th, 1920, a spare crystal, and a mainspring and repeat spring.
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Diameter: 47 mm
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Signed: Patek, Philippe & Cie Geneva, Switzerland
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Harry W. Child presented this Watch of Albert Lincoln Smith.
Only 170 pieces made by Patek Philippe with minute repeating and split-second chronographs in open face cases are known: 39 pieces with 17″ movement and only 15 with 39 jewels, such as this lot which is the only one with its original certificate. The enamelled monogram on the back of the case was made for Albert Lincoln Smith, President of the Montana Trust and Savings Bank in the 1920s. Involved in many charities, the bank helped during WW1 with relief efforts and supported the Montana Loyalty League and the Red Cross. Furthermore, the watch was donated by Harry W. Child, who, on top of establishing the San Francisco Stock exchange in 1882, was the founder of the Yellowstone Park company offering various services to the visitors of Yellowstone National Park from 1892 to 1980.