The present Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer Escapement wristwatch potently blends the most traditional British watchmaking – the movement- with contemporary livery – the titanium case. Not only is the present example the very first titanium case Double Impulse Chronometer Escapement to be offered in an international auction room, but to the best of our research, only one of 3 made as of the date of publication of this catalogue.

While Charles Frodsham is a venerable maker of British chronometers whose pieces date back to 1834, it wasn’t until 2018 that the brand introduced a wristwatch – 16 years in the making - whose technical prowess took the horological world by storm. With the Double Impulse Chronometer, Charles Frodsham has firmly stated the return of British watchmaking at the forefront. The goal with this first wristwatch was to present a chronometer escapement, originally invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet and later perfected by George Daniels and Derek Pratt...in pocket watches.

The immense complexity of miniaturizing this escapement into a wristwatch took 16 painstaking years. Frodsham can boast being the first and only maker to have done it, with a bit of help from the great Derek Pratt himself. This is the first wristwatch to use the Daniels Double Impulse Chronometer Escapement, which is completely symmetrical, highly detached, and oil-free. The large free-sprung balance has a self-compensating balance spring with a raised terminal curve and a proprietary shock protection system with fixed jewelled bearings.

Absolutely every component of this watch is made by Frodsham including the case and dial. The only elements from the outside are the crystals, the main and balance springs, the jewels (that are from the brand’s existing stock dating from the 1950s) and the strap, giving the term "in-house" a brand new meaning. The movement is not only a horological masterpiece but also a thing of beauty with beautifully finished components, train wheels in gold and all steel components mirror polished.