Swiss rare silver lever watch with barometer Circa 1890

Silver lever gentlemen’s watch
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An almost as new Swiss rare silver open faced gentleman’s pocket watch with barometer made by Schorpp-Vaucher in La Chaux-de-Fonds, circa 1890. Engine turned case with plain bezels, pendant and bow, the back featuring a decoratively engraved vacant cartouche. Signed white enamel dial with Arabic hour numerals, outer minute divisions, a mercury thermometer, silver plated barometer scales, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and spade hands. Bridge movement with a lever escapement, screw balance, barometer tin and gilt brass frame for the barometer mechanism.
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Diameter: 56 mm
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Weight: 122 g
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Signed: Altitudo Déposé Montre Baromètre Btè. S.G.D.G.
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Schorpp-Vaucher, Swiss watchmaking
The Schorpp-Vaucher or J. Schorpp-Vaucher watch factory was founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland by James Henri Schorpp, who was married to Cécile Marie Vaucher. In 1896, the company was operating at 107 Rue du Doubs and in 1907, it was listed at 87 Rue du Temple Allemande, near the previous address.

On October 1st, 1895, Louis Elisée Piguet delivered a complicated watch to J. Schorpp-Vaucher, No. 3844 20, a full hunter cased grande sonnerie minute repeater. 

J. Schorp-Vaucher was later renamed C. Schorpp-Vaucher when Cécile continued the company, while James Henri has been in serious trouble over unauthorized activities such as money misuse, arson and forgery. He was eventually sentenced to a long prison term. This story came to be known as the Schorpp affair.

The company supplied watches under the brand name ‘Duchesse’ and registered skeleton watches (montre squelette), in 1898. The brand ‘L’Heure’ followed on February 23rd, 1906 and Altitudo on April 16th, 1907.

In May 1910, C. Schorpp-Vaucher went bankrupt.