NICOLE & CAPT Regulator Dial CHRONOGRAPH Solid 18k GOLD Antique Pocket Watch

Rare and interesting early pocket chronograph.
Diameter is 48mm, height without bow is 61mm. Weight is 110 grams.

Unusual regulator dial with separate hours scale.
Dial and movement are signed by John Poole, but immediately recognisable winding and time setting mechanism shows production of Nicole & Capt.

Nicole & Capt society was created by swiss born Charles-Victor-Adolphe Nicole and Jules-Philippe Capt in 1837.
Society had office in Soho, London and workshop in Solliat, Valle-du-Joux, Switzerland.
Nicole was an inventive watchmaker, and as there still weren't any patents in Switzerland, he registered his inventions in United Kingdom.
In 1844 he registered his keyless winding and time setting system and his early chronograph, requiring double button press to start chronograph.
In 1861, Henri-Ferreol Piguer, who worked for Nicole & Capt, made first "modern chronograph", with "start-stop-return to zero" action.
This type of chronograph was commercialised by Nicole & Capt under their own name, but was also sold to Frodsham, Dent and other known British watchmakers.
After 1874 the "Nicole & Capt" became "Nicole, Nielsen" and continued production of chronographs.
Information from the book "Chronometre de Poche Suisse" by Joel Pynson, p.23.

The back cover bears hallmarks for 1873 and AN for "Adolphe Nicole".
Nice and early chronograph with rare dial.



Condition
The watch appears to be in quite good condition.
The movement is running, but I don't guarantee time keeping.
Chronograph functions as it should, please see the video.
The dial appears to be in decent condition with minor flaws and practically invisible hairlines (hard to show..).
Overall good condition.

Nice and rare watch, good collector's piece.