Swiss silver deck watch with 40h power reserve Circa 1908

Open faced deck watch by Paul Ditisheim
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An important, Swiss deck watch of the US Navy with 40 hour power reserve, circa 1908.
A silver, polished case with a reeded band. A signed, matt silvered dial with radial Roman numerals, auxiliary seconds, 40 hour power reserve indicator, and blued spade hands. And a frosted, gilt 2/3 plate movement with ten adj., twenty-three jewels, Guillaume screw compensation balance, blued Breguet balance spring with two terminal curves by Phillips, sapphire endstones on the lever, escape wheel and balance, and signed Paul Ditisheim La Chaux de Fonds, 1ere classe.
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Diameter: 63 mm
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Weight: 220 g
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Signed: Paul Ditisheim, La Chaux de Fonds
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Paul Ditisheim (1868-1945)
Ditisheim was one of the most famous Swiss makers of watches and chronometers, who did most of his research and his publications in the field of precision timekeeping. He did his apprenticeship at the watchmaking school in La Chaux-de-Fonds, before working in Ponts-de-Martel, Berlin, Paris, and Rotherham (near Coventry). In 1892 he opened up a watchmaking factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds. He presented his watches in many exhibitions and was very successful in designing pocket chronometers, usually with lever escapement. He developed for example a navy chronometer with an exchangeable escapement system. Ditisheim and Charles-Edouard Guillaume worked together in developing and testing temperature-independent metal alloys.