Having appeared once at auction over a decade ago and tucked away in a safe ever since, the present pocket watch is known in horological lore as one of the most fascinating pieces to ever appear on the market and has been a subject of fascination for many years among the collecting community.
Numbered 1, the present pocket watch is the very first Grande and Petite Sonnerie open-faced pocket watch made by Philippe Dufour exclusively for Audemars Piguet and retailed by none other than Asprey. It was also the first watch ever created by Philippe Dufour himself.
Made in 1982, one can credit the creation of this pocket watch as the impetus of the creation of independent watchmaking - in the past, Mr. Dufour has mentioned the work he did for Audemars Piguet in interviews, saying that even though he made the watch his name was never on the dial, citing it as a reason he became an independent watchmaker. It was made in an era before Philippe Dufour went independent, representing an important horological moment in history, one before the golden cradle of watchmaking where now-household names such as Philippe Dufour himself, F.P. Journe, Roger Smith and others were experimenting, producing their very first prototypes, pushing the boundaries of watchmaking and re-defining the meaning of watchmaking.
The present pocket watch was made in a series of five examples throughout 1982-1988, of which the present watch was the first ever made. A Grande Sonnerie is a timepiece that automatically chimes the hours on every hour and hours and quarters on every quarter, and a Petite Sonnerie chimes the passing of the quarters. As with all of Dufour's creations which would later be featured on watches under his own name, this pocket watch was made by hand and showcases a stunningly complex movement consisting of two barrels, both fitted to wind independently with dual recoiling clicks. While the dial bears the name Audemars Piguet, Philippe Dufour's signature can be found on the underside of the dial. To add to the collectability of the present piece, the Asprey signature is also found on the case.
Founded in 1781 by William Asprey, Asprey has retailed some of the most surprising and unusual Rolex watches of the 20th century. The retailer has been especially known for their glamorous clientele, ranging from the Omani royal family (Asprey held the Sultan’s exclusive Royal Warrant), to celebrities and cultural personalities alike. Throughout its history, the historic retailer has distributed watches from some of the most distinguished watch manufactures, ranging from Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, to name a few.
The historical importance and idiosyncrasy of the present pocket watch cannot be highlighted enough. One cannot laud enough Audemars Piguet's audacity for commissioning one of the most complex complications moreover in a pocket watch at a time where mechanical watchmaking was ever barely recovering from the quartz crisis. Furthermore, this very timepiece is the first ever made by Philippe Dufour - who even signed his masterpiece on the top plate right beneath the dial.
