Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer

In 2020, the very discreet Bernhard Lederer was again propelled to the forefront of the watchmaking scene when he unveiled a movement of rare ingenuity. Based on the foundations first laid by Breguet, then expanded by George Daniels, it was the culmination of extensive work on the heart of the mechanical watch: its escapement. Breguet's had intuited that a bi-directional detent escapement – an échappement naturel (Natural Escapement) – would inherently be more efficient. 150 years later, George Daniels took up the idea, but with an escapement that operated at the low frequency of 2Hz better suited to a pocket watch. 

The watch also had to be twisted to get the movement started. To address the dynamics of a watch worn on the wrist and ensure its reliability, Lederer first raised the frequency of his escapement – to 3Hz. More importantly, however, he sought a solution which, thanks to its geometry, would force the two escapement wheels to interact in such a way as to deliver optimum chronometric operation and precision under everyday conditions. Lederer’s invention aligns the escapements’ impulse, hence the name of the watch: Central Impulse Chronometer.

Estimate: CHF 100,000 - 200,000

Sold for: CHF 45,000