Grieb & Benzinger – an 1889 Patek Philippe split second for Tiffany

Collecting · · by Christian Bissener


Grieb & Benzinger platinum skeletonised split-second chronograph with silver dial on a navy strap, held in a hand

Grieb & Benzinger are known for their craftsmanship and their exquisite unique timepieces. For this watch they started from a Patek Philippe split-second movement of 1889, sold in 1890 to Tiffany in New York.

The movement was given an entirely new finish, with every plate hand-guilloché, engraved and skeletonised. It was also converted to a regulator display on the dial side, which meant rebuilding the complete movement to get everything right.

Caseback and skeletonised movement of the platinum watch with blued screws, held in a hand
The hand-engraved caseback and skeletonised movement

The case is platinum. It was complex to build, in particular the pusher on the crown, and every lug is welded individually to the case. The bezel is guilloché by hand and the caseback hand-engraved.

Navy leather briefcase and pouch beside the skeletonised watch on a navy strap
The watch with its navy leather briefcase and pouch

More than 1,000 hours of work went into the watch, which has remarkable presence on the wrist. The precision required was considerable: had a part of the movement broken, original parts from the period would have been almost impossible to find.

Grieb & Benzinger watches can be ordered through Watch Collector – see Grieb & Benzinger or get in touch.