355 - Russels Ltd. - Grande Complication

Russels Ltd. - Grande Complication (*) A very fine, heavy, astronomical hunting case pocket watch with perpetual calendar, moon phase, chronograph and minute repeater, from a noble family Movm. No. 11275, Dimensions 59 mm, circa 1900, Weight 240 g, Origin England Case: 18 K gold, tiered, smooth, case maker's punch mark "EM", inlaid enamel monogram on reverse side, polychrome enamelled parrot with motto: "ON.S.T.POLL.I.SEE." on the front side, rotating pendant. Dial: Enamel, radial Roman numerals, auxiliary seconds, moon phase, sunk day-, date-, month indication considering the leap year, 60 min. counter, blued spade hands. Movm.: 3/4 plate movement (most probably Louis Audemars), 2 hammers/2 gongs, English lever escapement, gold screw compensation balance. This Grande Complication has an impressive weight of 240 grams and a diameter of 59 mm; it is over 20 mm high. The condition of the case, the dial and the movement is excellent and the quality of the perfectly mirror-polished and bevelled steel levers is outstanding. For the minute repeater the hammers strike on two different gongs. The motto "ON.S.T.POLL.I.SEE." on the cuvette is a phonetic cryptogram from the era of King Edward VII, when curiosities and linguistic wordplay enjoyed great popularity. Reciting such an encrypted motto aloud served as a subtle test of another person’s wit. The owner would hand the object to a companion and ask him to read the “motto” out loud, thereby revealing the hidden phrase “Honesty is the best policy.” Russells Ltd. descended from the renowned Thomas Russell watchmaking dynasty and, was a major watch retailer and jeweller with principal branches at 18 Church Street, Liverpool, and 10 Exchange Street, Manchester in the late 19th and early 20th century. Thomas Robert Russell was one of Liverpool’s most successful and innovative watchmakers until the end of the 19th century. The parrot is probably a Princess of Wales Parrot, also known as the Queen Alexandra Parakeet (scientifically known as Polytelis alexandrae and more commonly called the Princess Parrot). This Australian parakeet was named in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who married the then Prince of Wales – and later King Edward VII – in 1863. Russells Ltd. had its roots in the famous Thomas Russells watchmaking dynasty and operated as a leading watch retailer and jeweller in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with main branches at 18 Church Street in Liverpool and 10 Exchange Street in Manchester. Thomas Robert Russell was one of Liverpool’s most successful and innovative watchmakers until the end of the 19th century. Case: very good. Dial: very good. Movm.: very good, capable of running, cleaning recommended.