Swiss 18K yellow gold lever chronometer pocket watch Circa 1915

Gold watch with the original box and certificate
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A very fine and rare Swiss, large, keyless, 18K yellow gold pocket lever chronometer watch, circa 1915. Accompanied by the original box and certificate. A polished case with a guilloche case back featuring an enamelled monogram DJD. Hinged gold cuvette. White enamel dial with bold upright Arabic numerals, outer minute track, large subsidiary seconds. Gold spade hands. A frosted gilt movement, 18 jewels, wolf’s tooth winding, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometre regulator. Dial, case, cuvette and movement signed.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: Vacheron & Constantin  Genève
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The name Chronomètre Royal was registered on May 28, 1907. The Royal Chronometer name, for the English-speaking market, was registered on May 8, 1908. The first of these was a series of pocket watches delivered to Brazil. Mr A. Campos, a Vacheron & Constantin agent, had organized a lottery system in which subscribers paid a monthly fee to take part in a series of draws. The holders of the winning tickets would be given a watch and the other subscribers would be entered into the next draw.
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This system proved to be so successful that A Campos delivered a total of 3022 watches between 22 October 1907 and 31 December 1911 – an amazing 80% of the production of the Chronomètre Royal, utilizing the calibre RA22 ’73 made during this period. The Chronomètre Royal was made in several sizes, from 12 to 22 lines, and was housed mostly in gold cases, more rarely in silver ones.