Watch Data

18k white gold Wrist Chronometer no. 4756

Case: s/n; 10004, 18k white gold rectangular case (22.4 x 43.7 mm) with highed/ swining lugs

Dial: silvered dial signed Pochon Freres, Berne

Movement: s/n; 4756, tonneau shaped caliber aka TS10, signed Niton, Geneve, Swiss, Eighteen 18 jewels, All adjustments, 2 x Poincon de Geneve quality seal obtained on July 19, 1927 and was the first of a batch of 6 (4756-4761).

Provenance:
1927 - Niton, Geneve

1927 - Pochon Freres, Berne

2023 - Guillaume Chappuis for WATCH & WRITE, Berne, Swiss

Notice

Pochon Frères Bern used to be a famous jewelry shop, old goldsmith trade, passed down generations. Some Pochon silverware is displayed in the Bern museum (that guild was strong from Middle Ages onwards, as Augsburg or Pforzheim were). The shop was at Marktgasse 55-57, now there's an entry level watch shop where they retail the regular brands, and 57 is Metro Boutique.

There is a connection to Zenith. Hypothesis is that Zenith S.A. had financial participation in Pochon Frères S.A. (not only used PF as retailers of Zenith).

The case has no maker's hallmarks, but is definitely done in Geneva (see Helvetia head). Top quality! Hypothesis either Ponti, Wenger or Baumgartner.

It is known that a batch of 6, which obtained the Poincon de Geneve quality seals on April 27, 1927 with movement serial number 4744 - 4749 were in all probability the same TS10 caliber. Known are A. Lange & Söhne Genf wrist watches with movement serial number 4745, 4746 and 4748. Also another know wristwatch by Lange carries movement serial number 4763 but it is not known when it obtained the Poincon de Geneve quality seal. Movement serial number 4760 belongs to Gübelin.

Case number matches with dial number (top left corner)

See also double page ad in a local journal from 1943; https://www.e-periodica.ch/cntmng?pid=bwo-002:1943:33::1770