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Can anyone identify this watch?


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 Hi all,

Trying to help out a friend here.

Can anyone identify this watch? Unfortunately these are all the pictures I have. I've asked for a picture of the inside and I'll post it once I have it. In the meantime if you recognize this please holler!   

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Edited by Tuvia
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First, let me wipe the drool off my keyboard.  There.  Now...
The photos of the movement are going to be the deciding factor.  An internet search revealed a whole bunch of Swiss triple-calendar minute-repeaters of *near* identical design.  With most, only the style of the hands were different, or it used Arabic numbers instead of Roman numerals, or instead of day and date windows it had dials.  But the differences were often extremely subtle, even between the different makes.   Some made by Le Phare, some by Jaeger LeCoultre, some by Audemars Piquet, and the like.  So we will certainly need to see if the movement photos can offer any clues. 
May I ask: what is the need for identifying?  Does it need parts, or repair?  Is the owner simply curious?  Will it be for sale, and there is need for description and appraisal?  Knowing the need can help us address it more thoroughly.
Either way, I really truly wish I had it in front of me to examine more closely.  It looks to be an amazing and beautiful timepiece.  I confess to being rather jealous here.  I own some very nice pocket watches myself, but nothing quite like that one (maybe some day...).  I will follow this post and check the movement photos when they are posted.

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From the fact that the repeater is operated from a push button and not a slide I would say this is a LePhare movement. These were the "Timex" of complications in the day, the mechanisms were simplified to enable something resembling mass production, and the overall fit and finish of things aren't close to what might have come from the Vallee de Joux (AP, JLC, Patek, etc.). That said, it is still an interesting watch- just not worth the same as the higher end makes.

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On 7/24/2021 at 9:42 AM, KarlvonKoln said:

Is the owner simply curious?

@KarlvonKolnthat seems to be the case. The owner sent me these photos and told me he'd let me peek at the movement when he's back in town..... I'm considering sponsoring his return ticket😂😂

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Well, hopefully, the maker saw fit to leave a visible mark that will appear in any photos of the movement that you post.  But for now, I would defer to Nickelsilver's opinion; I also think it is likely to be a Le Phare.  They are more common, and in many cases *slightly* more affordable.  (But that's like saying a Mercedes is slightly more affordable than a Maybach.  We're dealing with a high-price product either way.)  Take the best photos you can, especially of anything that looks remotely like a mark of some kind, and we will do what we can.

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