951
E.H. Jaccard & Cie
One-minute tourbillon
A very fine, well-preserved and pink gold one-minute tourbillon chronometer hunter-cased keyless pocket watch with movement attributed to Ernest Guinand, detent escapement, small seconds and enamel dial
Estimate
HK$120,000–240,000
€13,500–26,900
$15,400–30,800
Manufacturer
E.H. Jaccard & Cie
Year
Circa 1870
Case No
26’072
Model Name
One-minute tourbillon
Material
18K pink gold
Calibre
Manual, detent escapement, Ernest Guinand-type one-minute tourbillon
Dimensions
58mm diameter
Signed
Case and cuvette signed
Full-Cataloguing
Good To Know:
- Movement attributed to master tourbillon maker Ernest Guinand (c. 1810–1879)
- Cased by E.H. Jaccard & Cie. based in Geneva
- One-minute tourbillon chronometer with detent escapement
- Well-preserved pink gold hunter-case with "M.J." monogram
Ernest Guinand (c. 1810–1879) was a master Swiss watchmaker based in Le Locle, widely recognized as one of the all-time greats in constructing tourbillons. Often cited alongside greats like Jacques-Frédéric Houriet (1743-1830) and Albert Pellaton-Favre (1832-1914), Guinand manufactured delicate, high-precision tourbillon carriages for elite watchmaking houses, most notably Girard-Perregaux, F. L. Favre-Bulle and Montandon.
Guinand’s career spanned an era when the tourbillon was the rarest and most prestigious horological mechanism, with most scholars citing just 600-800 tourbillons made in total during the 150 years since Breguet invented the device in 1801.
Most famously, Guinand produced approximately 20 to 25 tourbillon movements for Girard-Perregaux, playing a pivotal role in bringing Jean-François Bautte’s and Constant Girard’s iconic "Three Gold Bridges" architecture to life. His tourbillons were celebrated for their extraordinary chronometric performance, frequently submitting top-tier results at the Neuchâtel Observatory trials. Most of his carriages were paired with pivoted detent escapements to achieve optimal chronometer precision. Reflecting Guinand’s standing as a watchmaker, he was commissioned by Patek Philippe in 1864 to construct its very first tourbillon regulator.
Though Guinand rarely signed his movements, his craftsmanship remains instantly recognizable to horological scholars today by his signature A-shaped tourbillon cage. Highly coveted by vintage pocket watch collectors, Guinand’s tourbillons represent the zenith of 19th-century Swiss precision watchmaking, bridging the gap between Abraham-Louis Breguet's original invention and late-Victorian chronometry.
The present masterpiece was made for E.H. Jaccard & Cie. which was a highly regarded 19th-century Swiss watchmaking firm based in Geneva. Known for high-end chronometer maker, Jaccard established a formidable global reputation across Europe, the Americas and Imperial Russia. Jaccard was celebrated in observatory trials for manufacturing exceptionally complex, outstanding pocket chronometers featuring spring detent escapements and tourbillon regulators.
The movement combines a tourbillon with a pivoted spring detent escapement, the peak of chronometric achievement in its time. Beyond the visual spectacle of the rotating tourbillon carriage and swing of the escapement, this setup also creates a recognizable tick-tock rhythm that is audibly distinct from the acoustic signature of a conventional lever escapement.
Preserved in excellent overall condition, the 18K pink gold case features sharp geometry, crisp hallmarks and an intricate engine-turned guilloché pattern centered with an "M.J." monogram. Combining a precision Guinand tourbillon carriage with the historical prestige of E.H. Jaccard, this timepiece represents the absolute pinnacle of 19th-century Swiss chronometry for the discerning pocket watch collector.
- Movement attributed to master tourbillon maker Ernest Guinand (c. 1810–1879)
- Cased by E.H. Jaccard & Cie. based in Geneva
- One-minute tourbillon chronometer with detent escapement
- Well-preserved pink gold hunter-case with "M.J." monogram
Ernest Guinand (c. 1810–1879) was a master Swiss watchmaker based in Le Locle, widely recognized as one of the all-time greats in constructing tourbillons. Often cited alongside greats like Jacques-Frédéric Houriet (1743-1830) and Albert Pellaton-Favre (1832-1914), Guinand manufactured delicate, high-precision tourbillon carriages for elite watchmaking houses, most notably Girard-Perregaux, F. L. Favre-Bulle and Montandon.
Guinand’s career spanned an era when the tourbillon was the rarest and most prestigious horological mechanism, with most scholars citing just 600-800 tourbillons made in total during the 150 years since Breguet invented the device in 1801.
Most famously, Guinand produced approximately 20 to 25 tourbillon movements for Girard-Perregaux, playing a pivotal role in bringing Jean-François Bautte’s and Constant Girard’s iconic "Three Gold Bridges" architecture to life. His tourbillons were celebrated for their extraordinary chronometric performance, frequently submitting top-tier results at the Neuchâtel Observatory trials. Most of his carriages were paired with pivoted detent escapements to achieve optimal chronometer precision. Reflecting Guinand’s standing as a watchmaker, he was commissioned by Patek Philippe in 1864 to construct its very first tourbillon regulator.
Though Guinand rarely signed his movements, his craftsmanship remains instantly recognizable to horological scholars today by his signature A-shaped tourbillon cage. Highly coveted by vintage pocket watch collectors, Guinand’s tourbillons represent the zenith of 19th-century Swiss precision watchmaking, bridging the gap between Abraham-Louis Breguet's original invention and late-Victorian chronometry.
The present masterpiece was made for E.H. Jaccard & Cie. which was a highly regarded 19th-century Swiss watchmaking firm based in Geneva. Known for high-end chronometer maker, Jaccard established a formidable global reputation across Europe, the Americas and Imperial Russia. Jaccard was celebrated in observatory trials for manufacturing exceptionally complex, outstanding pocket chronometers featuring spring detent escapements and tourbillon regulators.
The movement combines a tourbillon with a pivoted spring detent escapement, the peak of chronometric achievement in its time. Beyond the visual spectacle of the rotating tourbillon carriage and swing of the escapement, this setup also creates a recognizable tick-tock rhythm that is audibly distinct from the acoustic signature of a conventional lever escapement.
Preserved in excellent overall condition, the 18K pink gold case features sharp geometry, crisp hallmarks and an intricate engine-turned guilloché pattern centered with an "M.J." monogram. Combining a precision Guinand tourbillon carriage with the historical prestige of E.H. Jaccard, this timepiece represents the absolute pinnacle of 19th-century Swiss chronometry for the discerning pocket watch collector.