Swiss gold split seconds chronograph with diablotine Circa 1870

Gold hunting cased lever
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An early Swiss 18 carat gold split seconds chronograph, independent centre seconds and diablotine, circa 1870. A solid, polished, plain case with a rimmed border. The white enamel dial has Arabic five minute and Roman hour numerals, a fifth of a second track, a quarter second dial at 6 o’clock and original moon hands. A nickel plated, double train special calibre, 30 jewels, Geneva striping decoration, counterpoised straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring. The dial, case and movement are signed.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: Huguenin Berthoud  Le Locle
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As opposed to regular watches with an independent seconds mechanism, this watch can be considered a true chronograph with an independent train, because the chronograph hands can be reset to zero. It can therefore be considered as one of the first applications of the Adolphe Nicole patent from 1862 and one of the first developments of the seconds mechanism for chronographs.
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Diablotine
The feature known as a diablotine is a small subsidiary dial on a chronograph or independent center seconds pocket watch, the hand of which moves in a jumping manner at intervals of 1/4 or 1/5th of a second. The term means little devil. The diablotine is halted when the chronograph or center seconds is stopped and the fractions of a second can be read.