Perret & Co. Locle watch

[Eric Preston]

I inherited this watch from my father who got it from his. I know nothing about it other than what I could find on the interwebs. My dad never mentioned it, and I only found it while dealing with his estate. It's missing the minute hand and as far as I can tell doesn't work, but I'd like to know more about the watch and if it's possible to get it repaired. I live in Madison, Wisconsin and there don't seem to be any watch repair people. Am I correct that it never had a crystal?

 

[Audemars]

There is a very similar movement by Louis Audemars on page 209 of Hartmut Zantke’s book. The movement is marked with serial number 32288 although Zantke gives the whole watch a different number (2038). The dial isn't dissimilar either.

Zantke says of the simplicity of movement 32288 that it “is certainly one of the most beautiful movements ever made” and he writes that there are two identical movments in the watch museum in La Chaux de Fonds.
There’s another fairly similar one on Zantke page 222

Yes, it should have a crystal. Don't take it to your friendly neighbourhood repairer. There are folks on this site who can point you in the right direction.

Paul
www.audemars.co.uk

 

[MartyR]

Welcome to the board, Eric

I don't know how you posted those photos, but I can't enlarge them, nor can I download them. I'd like to help you with some information about the case, and I need to look at the inscriptions/marks in photos 1, 2 and 8. Could you reply to this thread and re-post those photos using the "camera" icon in the header?

 

[Omexa]

Hi Martin, I just tried to download and all OK. Regards Ray

 

[John Matthews]

Here's some information on the case maker ...



John

 

[RON in PA]

Looks like a solid gold case. Do you realize that the watch is key wound? Excellent quality watch.

 

[Audemars]

(Auguste) Perret is in my list of Louis Audemars buyers. The movement serial number 32288 isn’t in my (incomplete) archive but similar numbers have ship-dates around 1880 although according to Zantke the movement type is older and would date to the time when the majority of the Audemars' sales were movements and ebauches to other "makers".
Paul