Dumas. A Rare French 2 Day Marine Pivoted Detente Chronometer C1850

Onésime Dumas. A Rare French 2 Day Marine Pivoted Detente Chronometer C1850

Dial: The silvered dial signed and numbered Dumas Eleve du Government. The black Roman numerals with outer minute track and subsidiary seconds dial at six o'clock with original blued steel Breguet style moon hands and original blued steel seconds hand

Case: The original Double body two tier mahogany box with slide on the lid over the observation aperture. Brass gimbals with a ladded bowl. Brass case "En Forme de Tabatiere " , similar to that used by Louis Berthoud for his later chronometer. The original ratchet tipsy key sits in the corner of the case

Movement: This exquisite rare Keywind 2 day Pivoted detente chronometer signed Dumas and numbered. The weighted balance wheel with conical steel balance spring being free sprung. The fusee chain and barrel being visible in the layout of the movement.

Onésime Dumas, 1824-1889, had an illustrious horological background. The Nephew of Henri Motel he was apprenticed first to Louis Frédérique Perrelet, (1781-1854), then to Charles Auguste Berthoud, (1798-1826). Having gone back to work with his uncle for a few years he succeeded Victor Gannery who had himself been apprenticed to Perrelet and soon afterwards set up at Saint Nicholas d'Aliermont near Dieppe. By this time Saint Nicholas had undergone an horological revolution under Honoré Pons so that when Gannery died prematurely at the age of 32 Dumas came into possession of a thriving business in 1851. He exhibited precision horology at Rouen in 1856 and chronometers at Paris in 1857. He was also attributed as being the first to produce chronometers in the English calibre. This marine Chronometer would make a superb addition to one's collection.