237 Eberhard An exceptionally rare, attractive and important, Modello Magini, split-seconds, date, mono-pusher chronograph wristwatch in steel, published in “Time to Race — Watches and Speed. Stories of Men and Machines” by Goldberger and Mannucci

Estimate: € 50,000 –⁠ 100,000

Made in the early 1940s, the “Sistema Magini” pocket and wristwatches played a crucial role in the success of a historic Italian Air Force mission. The origins of the Magini model are tied to a little-known yet fascinating chapter of the Second World-War. By 1942, the Axis Powers suspected that their encrypted radio communications had been compromised by the Allies. In response, the Italian Royal Air Force was tasked with an urgent mission: to deliver new cipher codes directly to their Japanese counterparts. Without the aid of modern GPS, radar, or radio navigation, the operation relied on celestial navigation, guided by two critical instruments: a Longines Lindbergh Hour Angle watch and a highly specialized Eberhard 24-hour split-seconds chronograph pocket watch, later known as the “Magini”. On June 29, 1942, a squadron of five elite Italian pilots, including navigator Publio Magini, embarked on the perilous journey. After just two stopovers—in Rostov-on-Don, Ukraine, and Bao Tou, China—the mission concluded successfully six days later in Tokyo. The aviators returned home along the same treacherous route, receiving top military honors for their accomplishment. However, the operation remained classified, shrouded in secrecy. Eberhard subsequently received a request for ten more split-seconds chronographs, but these were never supplied to the Royal Air Force as the conflict had come to an end, making the few living examples historically important and unique. Encased in a superb 51 mm stainless steel tripartite case with a snap-on back and concave lugs featuring fixed bars, the Eberhard “Mod. Magini” split-seconds monopusher chronograph boasts a co-axial monopusher integrated into the winding crown, along with a split-seconds function pusher positioned at 2 o’clock. The silver dial, bearing the maker’s signature, features a 24-hour display with Arabic numerals, a date-window at 12 o’clock and a minute track marked in 1/5th-second increments. The hour is indicated by blued Breguet hands, while the minutes are highlighted with gilded counterparts. A similar example of this Modello Magini is housed in the prestigious Eberhard Museum, and the watch offered here represents the only known example potentially available for purchase in the public market today. This makes it an incredibly rare opportunity for collectors who seek the most elusive and sought-after timepieces. Considering its age, historical importance, and uniqueness, it is a true gem for connoisseurs, a piece that no-one knows when will surface again, making it a grail in the world of horology.