A Named Zurich Watchmaker
The maker plaque identifies E. Breitinger as an Uhrmacher in Albisrieden–Zürich and carries the words 'Patent angemeldet'—patent applied for.
Surviving Variants
Only a small number of examples are presently documented, including clocks with Läufer and Vivax dials. Vivax belongs to the Swiss small-movement watchmaking ecosystem, reinforcing the clock's connection to compact precision mechanics.
An Unlocated Patent
The patent-pending claim shows that Breitinger regarded some aspect of the clock as proprietary, but no corresponding patent record has yet been securely located. The claim is evidence of intended innovation, not proof of a granted patent.
Historical Significance
Breitinger represents the workshop side of Swiss chess timing: rare, locally made or assembled, mechanically ambitious, and known primarily from surviving objects rather than mass advertising or tournament photographs.