Two train cylinder with independent seconds
Stock No. 1662
Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec
Paris, c1820
Gold case, 58 mm.
Cylinder escapement, quarter repeating, independent centre seconds.
Sold
A rare, substantial and very fine quality rose gold repeating watch with two train independent centre seconds. Made in Paris by Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec, a very important maker who was Watchmaker to the King, Louis XVIII.
MOVEMENT : A gilt movement with cylinder escapement, and gilt balance wheel.
Balance fitted with bi-metallic temperature compensation curb.
Quarter repeating with two polished steel hammers striking two steel gongs.
The quarter repeating function is activated by depressing the stem. This strikes once for each hour and then twice for each quarter.
The independent second is stopped and started by a slide at 6 on the band of the case.
A second slide, at 2, should disable the repeat though this slide does not currently have any effect.
The movement is in good condition, and is running well and repeating correctly.
The stopwork on the mainspring is missing a small wheel, so the mainspring does not lock on a full wind. The stopwork on the 2nd spring (seconds) is complete and working.
DIAL : Silver dial, with engine turned centre.
In very good condition, with just very minor scratches.
Gold Breguet style hands
CASE : The rose gold case has engine turning to the back, bezel and band. The inner gold cuvette is signed ‘RIEUSSEC HORger DU ROI’, and numbered 1673.
The gold back of the case is stamped with a case serial number (331), and French gold marks.
The case is in good condition, with some wear to the engine turning on the shoulder of the back, some small bruises to the bezel and some light scratches to the cuvette.
The crystal is fine, though is a synthetic replacement.
All hinges are fine and the bezel, back cover and cuvette all close correctly.
Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec (July 20, 1781 – June 18, 1866) is listed in Paris between 1807 and 1825.
From 1817 on, Rieussec practiced his profession at no. 13, Rue Notre-Dame-des-Petits-Champs. That same year, the young watchmaker began to gain recognition when he was named a Watchmaker to the King in a royal warrant dated January 31, 1817. He invented an ink dial chronograph in 1821.
