Swiss minute repeating precision chronograph watch Circa 1916

Thin gold open faced chronograph by Dietrich Gruen Watch Co.
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An exquisite, Swiss thin minute repeating gentleman’s precision pocket watch and chronograph with 30 minutes counter, circa 1916. Made for James Murphy, President of the Western Navigation Co. Ltd. and Mayor of Fort William, Ontario.
Polished 18-carat gold case. Engraved, signed gold dome: Dietrich Gruen, Especially finished for James Murphy. Signed white enamel dial with radial Breguet numerals, outer minutes/seconds track with red Arabic five minutes/seconds numerals, subsidiary dial for the seconds, 30 minutes counter, and blued spade hands. Bridge movement, rhodium-plated, Precision Adjusted to all Positions, Temperatures, Isochronism, two hammers / two gongs, lever escapement, gold screw chronometer balance.
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Diameter: 50 mm
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Weight: 96 g
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Signed: Dietrich Gruen
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The movement of the watch was produced by the company Louis Elisee Piguet at the quality level “extra”. Identical movements of such a standard were also delivered to Patek Philippe; the overall quality of this timepiece is outstanding in every aspect. “Presented to James Murphy, President of the Western Navigation Co. Ltd., by the shareholders in recognition of his valuable Services. Fort William, Feb 15th, 1916” James Murphy was born in 1863 in West Liberty, Iowa. In 1882, he took a position with the Canadian Pacific Railway in Winnipeg, from where he moved on to Port Arthur to work for the newly established Dominian Coal, Coke and Transportation Co.; he soon occupied a managerial position in the new company. In 1903 Murphy opened his own coal company and later founded the Western Navigation Co. Ltd. together with his brother Harry. He went into politics around 1898 and became mayor of Fort William in 1907. James Murphy died in 1928. We now have James Murphy’s watch in a marvellous condition, exactly 100 years after it was presented to him. The watch commemorates the founding spirit of North America and it does so with a fine Swiss product.