The Enigmatic Patek Philippe Pocket Watches: A Deep Dive into Their Double-Movement Mechanism
Sotheby's upcoming auction in New York unveils a pair of extraordinary Patek Philippe pocket watches with double movements, once owned by John Motley Morehead III, an American patron with an eye for the exotic. These watches, unknown to Patek Philippe until recently, offer a fascinating glimpse into early 20th-century American watch collecting, where interest shifted from decoration to technical prowess.
The watches, numbered 197'589 and 197'590, showcase Morehead's penchant for unusual, highly complicated timepieces. Sotheby's research revealed another of Morehead's watches, a carillon repeater with two sets of hands, powered by a single movement, further highlighting his appreciation for intricate designs.
The double-movement watches feature a primary minute repeating movement on the back and a secondary simple movement on the front. The smaller watch, 197'589, boasts a minute repeating base movement, while the larger watch, 197'590, also includes a split-seconds chronograph with a minutes counter.
Both watches have yellow gold dials, a departure from the typical enamel used during that period. The movements can be wound from a single crown, operated by a pull-out crown and pin. The first watch, 197'589, was crafted in 1920 and sold to Morehead in 1922, bearing the inscription 'Made for John M. Morehead by Patek Philippe & Co.' on its dust cover.
The hands are coded by color and form: blue spade hands for the primary movement and gold Breguet hands for the secondary. The watch's slim bassine case and concealed hinges reflect American tastes, similar to many watches sold by prominent American retailers like Tiffany & Co. and Shreve, Crump & Low.
The second watch, 197'590, completed in 1924 and delivered in 1925, is significantly larger at 55 mm in diameter and about 20 mm thick without the crystal. This height is attributed to the primary movement's split-seconds chronograph and the addition of two additional hands.
The watches' movements are intricate, with the primary movement passing through the secondary movement. The smaller watch uses Adrien Philippe's sliding pinion system, while the larger watch employs Sylvain Mairet's differential winding system, found in high-grade two-train pocket watches.
The double-movement watches' purpose remains a mystery. One theory suggests they track mean solar time and sidereal time, with one movement indicating the sky's position. However, the complexity of achieving such accuracy without computers is questionable.
Despite the lack of clarity, the watches' historical significance and technical brilliance make them highly sought-after. Sotheby's estimates the 197'589 watch at US$300,000-500,000 and the 197'590 watch at US$500,000-1.0 million. These watches embody the fusion of American taste and technical innovation, leaving collectors and enthusiasts alike in awe.
