Paul Ditisheim, La Chaux de Fonds, a rare, two day, central second marine chronometer, the 15 jewel gilt movement with crosshatched plates, lever escapement, Guillaume balance, and unusual keyless winding and setting mechanism, the escapement components

Paul Ditisheim, La Chaux de Fonds, a rare, two day, central second marine chronometer, the 15 jewel gilt movement with crosshatched plates, lever escapement, Guillaume balance, and unusual keyless winding and setting mechanism, the escapement components contained in their own module, and removable, like a platform escapement, while leaving the rest of the movement intact, the signed, silvered dial with wind indicator at top, the hour and minute chapter below the central seconds hand, contained in a brass bowl mounted in gimbals, all within a mahogany box with brass furniture, and engraved plate on front, serial #1012 movement very good, with minor scratches, marks and spotting, some steel with minor oxide, dial with minor scratches, slight darkening at the edge, and minor loss to infill, seconds hand with a few spots of oxide, bowl tarnished, bezel with polish residue, and minor discoloration to silver, box top with splits, refinished, lacquer chipped, hardware tarnished. It is interesting to note that in Gould's book on the marine chronometer, he includes a photo and description of a nearly identical example, "the new type of chronometer recently introduced by the firm of Paul Ditisheim", and the fact that "the escapement (is) of the spring detent pattern, beating half seconds (although a lever escapement, beating fifths of a second, can be substituted) ", as seen in this timepiece. An identical example, serial #1001, was sold at Christies, South Kensington, July 2, 2004, sale 6928, lot 29, for $25,668.00.