A v v u s - M a n u f a c t u r e H o r l o g è r e D r e s d e n :
Eremitage St. Petersburg, Metropolitan Museum of Art-New York, Old Royal Observatory Greenwich, PGH - Uhrentechnik Dresden |
Adolphe Duragier
L o c l e
This Marriage or large caliber men’s wrist watch is completely built at our Manufacture in Dresden. The parts, which were added to this watch, have been made particularly for this watch, because there are no ready parts available which would be adequate to the quality of this movement and fulfill our quality standards.
The Watch
The Ancestry and History of the Calibre:
This calibre, type Jules Jurgensen, is attributive to the manufacturer Louis Audemars and Léon-Ernest Aubert, who both were located at the Valleé de Joux between 1850 and 1880. Most of the ebauches /movements blanks for Jules Jurgensen - Copenhagen or the “Schaffhausen” quality calibre “N” of IWC originates from this production.
Also another renowned jewelers and large trading houses sold Aubert movements under their own name. They mounted such high grade movements in their own luxury pocket watch cases. Some of such masterpieces cost more than a life salary of a normal worker at this time!!!
One of those movements is the source for our Marriage.
The Technical Features of the High Grade Movement:
The movement has a crown winding. For this purpose we designed a pumpkin shaped crown which was exactly adapted in size and proportion to the overall appearance of the case.
The hands set is operated by a setting lever in the movement, which function is activated by a pusher.
The winding wheels are mounted clearly visible on the barrel plate. For higher power distribution they are furnished with wolf teeth gear. The power will be blocked with the help of a double screwed and highly polished steel click spring.
To enhance the power coming through the train, the center wheel is provided with a chaton jewel, which is mounted in rosé gold and is screwed threefold. Only jeweled holes minimize reliably the friction due to enormous driving power of the mainspring and consequently the going barrel. The screwed chaton allows the precise adjustment of the wheel and the quick change of the bearing jewel if necessary. The further wheel arbors are protected by 17 jewels. The pallets of the pallet fork and the roller are also jeweled.
A double bridge holds the escape wheel and the third wheel; the escape wheel bearing is furnished with a jeweled rosé gold end piece. This end piece is used to minimize the axial clearance of the wheel arbor and enhances the precision of this important element of the escapement. The jeweled end piece for the pallet fork is made in the same manner. End jewels also protect the stuffs from dirt and dust. The lower cap jewels on the dial plate protecting the escape wheel and pallet fork pivots. The balance stuff is protected both-sided with jeweled end pieces.
Thus the movement is an extra high grade 20-jewels precision continental chronometer.
The train is gold plated.
The impressive large bimetallic balance wheel with regulation screws takes nearly the half of the diameter of the movement. Such large balance wheel is another attribute of a lever chronometer. The timing screws are made of rosé gold; the Brequet balance spring is blued.
The long-arm index riches the centre wheel bridge, which is furnished with an engraved register. That design of the index allows a similar timing of the watch as a fine regulator.
The overlong pallet fork is clearly visible between the balance wheel and the escapement wheel. It is balanced with a half-moon shaped counterweight and is hold by its own bar.
The bars and bridges are decorated with a Geneva pattern. They were already in a good condition, but now, after extensive cleaning, appearing in a nice matt finish. The milled out portions of the dial plate have a cloud-shaped pattern.
The flats and beveled edges of all steel parts are polished and underline the outstanding high standard of the movement. All movement side screws, the click spring, the index, the jeweled end pieces, the cuts on the winding wheels, the centre wheel shaft, as well as the square ratchet wheel arbor are extensively polished by hand. The polish is made with diamantine on a zinc plate or with special diamond finishing film.
All pivots were also polished; the watch has been adjusted and timed within 1,5 minutes per day at normal temperature. It runs now with good amplitude for over 40 hours per full winding.
The movement is signed “Locle – Adolphe Duragier”
The Dial:
The splendid white single sunk enamel dial is original and free of any damaging or flaws. It was professionally cleaned and shines now in an elegant pure white. The minute register has Roman numerals; the index register for the seconds is furnished with Arabic numerals. The black minute and second marks, also the sign “Adolphe Duragier – Locle”, are kept in contrast with enamel surface; the luxury case matches very well with this simple but elegant dial.
The Hands:
The original Brequet style hands completing the wonderful appearance of this watch. The hands are blued in dark blue and now glowing gorgeous on the enameled dial.
The Case and the Crown:
The massive and top quality two-part case was casted out of 925 silver (Sterling Silver) and was custom made especially for this movement.
The lugs are fine matted inside. The case has a flute décor and completes the grand luxury appearance. It was adjusted precisely to the movement, so that we were able to leave out the movement holding ring. The silver case is highly polished and finally rhodium-plated for the surface protection. Rhodium is a silver white, hard and high melting noble metal. It is harder than gold and platinum, but tough and ductile. At the same time are such coatings chemically stable. It prevents the tarnishing of the used material. It´s particularly important for jewellery made of silver, white gold or similar soft materials.
The pumpkin-shaped crown and the time setting pusher are also rhodium-plated.
The six- point screwed and glazed bezel on the back of the case enables the view into the impressing movement. The bezel is signed with our signature and the Avvus watch code.
Between the six bezel screws is engraved by hand:
"Avvus Manufacture Horlorgére Dresden PE-SS-AW No. 12285"
This signature is registered by us, and displays the marriage not only as an unmistakable unique, but also identifies this watch as yours.
The Glasses:
The watch is provided with the mineral glasses for the both sides. Upper convex glass is faceted, the bottom side is flat. The convex glass comes from the old stock, because convex crystals in those sizes are very hard to find in nowadays production. In a thin construction of an old pocket watch crystals you can find the combination of decently reserved appearance and capability to resist the problems of a daily wear.
The Strap:
The 28 mm lug to lug width is probably the best option for a 50 mm case. Sure you can buy the readymade 28 mm straps, but they are seldom and mostly in a very simple quality. Due to fact that they are too thin for a thick case, they leave a bad impression. Therefore we let produce our straps individually for every case.
This strap is made of black, coarse structured crocodile leather and is furnished with finest needlework.
Over the length the strap tappers from 28 mm to 18 mm and is continually decreases in thickness. Therefore the band has an adequate thickness at the case side and a flexible thin end at the buckle side. So the strap has to be wedge-shaped. And this you obtain through the complex lamination of the strap.
The different layers of the strap are stitched together with a wide quilted thick dark grey yarn.
The massive buckle is made of stainless steel.
The Watch Box:
We deliver your watch in a luxury and fine elaborated walnut veneered watch box. The color of lining is crème. The metal fittings are nickel plated. These watch box will be certainly the depository for your precious watch.
The Shipping and Payment
Within Germany:
we are shipping with a courier service, because all German parcel services don’t insure luxury watches;
the shipping within Germany is fully insured.
Within Germany we only accept payments via bank transfer.
NO PAYPAL WITHIN GERMANY!!!
Worldwide:
In the EU, Europe outside the EU and worldwide we are shipping with DHL.
We are sending In the EU, Europe outside the EU and worldwide fully insured.
In the EU, Europe outside the EU and worldwide we accept PayPal and bank transfer.
The shipping charges are listed below.
The Specifications:
