J. Auricoste Reference Chronometer, 1960s

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Sure, Analog:Shift is a business built around the love of watches — mostly mechanical watches. But, in essence, it’s our love for timepieces and timekeeping in general that are the common themes throughout the items we procure. And that includes the love of clocks in general: pocket watches, travel clocks, and more. After all, in the couple hundred years before the First World War, personal timekeeping was all about the pocket watch, and before that, it was larger clocks that were front and center, horologically. We still believe a good clock — such as a classic travel model from the 1920s or 1930s — has a place in the watch lover’s collection. This particular timepiece is a scarce desktop chronometer made by J. Auricoste, a French manufacturer of aeronautical clocks and watches established in 1854. Housed in a handsome mahogany box measuring 5.5" x 4.25" x 2.75" , it features a nickel-plated 68mm hand-wound clock fit into a brass plate. A special hacking feature resets the seconds hand to the "0" position during setting, thus allowing the user to coordinate a set of timepieces to the clock as a reference — like, say, the wristwatches of a fighter squadron. A silvered dial with an outer 1/5th-seconds track, large black 'Arabic' indices, and a black 'spade' handset prioritizes legibility, while timekeeping is provided by the hand-wound Lemania cal. LWO 1170 movement with 3/4 plate, frosted and gilt finishing a Glucydur screw balance, and 18 jewels. Dating to the 1960s, this handsome piece of French watchmaking history is an ideal desktop ornament for someone who appreciates function-first design and horological excellence. Grab it before it's gone!