Vacheron Constantin

Although a committed V&C collector, this Charles Frodsham timepiece from 1869 proved too much to resist. To begin with, it is a minute repeater! Have a look, a sound clip is included at the end... Charles Frodsham was a celebrated English watch maker ...  

Can you include your still photos of the watch as part of the thread? I would like to look at the movement more. Have you been able to track the provenance of this piece? It is wonderful that you have been able to research this piece to this degree. Thank... 

As my one and only English-style watch, I find the differences fascinating: ...  

Dresden Mathematics and Physics salon, which is essentially a museum with an amazing horological collection. Even they have a piece by Mr. Frodsham.

This piece was auctioned by Antiquorum. It was acquired by Frodsham in 1880 and features a two-train grand and petite sonnerie with "trip" minute repeater (meaning the repetition spring is wound with the mainspring). ...  

Wonderful watch! Thanks for sharing this great video! You have one of vintage pocket watches great secrets there: A private label Louis Audemars :) Frodsham watches are spectacular to begin with, and then to have one manufactured by Ls. Audemars is even b... 

Love your username! Have you ever been to the LB Audemars home at Crêt-Meylan? They only manufactured ebauches for other makers until about 1850, when the company decided to offer completed watches under their own name. Those made up till about 1880 were ...  

research. " This timepiece, with it's Frodsham number, appears in the registers of LB Audemars; made available by Hartmut Zantke in his substantial book "Louis-Benjamin Audemars His Life and Work" I have the book you mentioned ... ... and I tried to find ...  

Thanks for asking, Oliver :-) Zantke's list of Frodsham numbers only begins with 1878. The more recent book by Paul Audemars, The Story of Louis Audemars & Cie, contains additional ledgers and serial numbers that weren't available to Zantke when he pu...  

shoot me a pm and I'll provide contact info. ...  

What an amazing addition to your collection. It is really something to get to hear as well as see this piece. Thank you for including a sound clip in the video. Just astonishing to see this watch this old fully functioning and in such magnificent conditio... 

asking my watchmaker to disassemble the movement, because I'm dying to know more about its construction and any unique LB Audemars touches hiding under that top plate. But it works well, keeps good time, and the possibility of breaking screws, etc., witho... 

George Daniels was quite an admirer of Frodsham watches. In his book with Cecil Clutton he writes: "The numerous members of the Frodsham family were in business from some time before 1780. William Frodsham, the second generation of watchmakers, married Al... 

What a story and research! And of course the lovely pocket watch minute repeater with so much research you have shared. Thanks Dean for this very enjoyable read. Cheers Robin