Important Swiss 14 carat gold pocket chronometer Circa 1929

Gold keyless hunting cased watch
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An important Swiss 14 carat yellow gold hunting cased keyless pocket chronometer made by Omega in Biel/Bienne, circa 1929. One of a series of only 300 pieces. Accompanied by the original fitted presentation box and a Bulletin de Marche, Épreuve de Première Classe from the Observatoire de Bienne, dated August 27th, 1929. A hinged gold cuvette engraved Chronomètre Omega. White enamel dial with Arabic hour numerals, outer minute divisions, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and Breguet hands.
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Rhodium plated, grade Very Best, movement with Geneva striping decoration, 23 jewels, of which the most screwed in gold chatons, a safety pinion, bimetallic cut compensation balance, adjusted to six positions and temperatures, blued steel Breguet balance spring, eccentric cam micrometre regulator and gold wheel train. Dial and case signed, movement signed and numbered. –
Diameter: 52 mm
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Signed: Ω Omega Chronomètre Importé de Suisse
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In 1929, the present watch cost 1,085 Swiss francs. By way of comparison, that same year Tiffany & Co. sold a Patek Philippe minute repeating perpetual calendar pocket watch with moon phases, a split second chronograph and 30 minute counter for 2,835 Swiss francs, and a standard 18 carat gold hunting cased pocket watch could be bought for 385 Swiss francs. The fact that this watch cost nearly 40% as much as a highly complicated Patek Philippe and over four times as much as that company’s standard production is due to the cost of manufacturing such a high precision movement.
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Precision movements are made to much smaller mechanical tolerances than standard watch movements and often take as long to manufacture and regulate as complicated movements. Precision watches were also prized possessions and were often reserved for the manufacturer’s best clients. The “Very Best” grade replaced the DDR as Omega’s highest quality chronometer movement in July 1922. This caliber was made in 600 examples, 300 Lépine and 300 for hunting cased watches. The term “Very Best” was trademarked by Omega for dials, cases and movements, in 1904.