Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Hotel Noga Hilton, Oct 16, 2005

LOT 142

?Royal Blue? Jaquet Droz, London. Made for the Chinese market, circa 1785. Very fine and extremely rare, gold, enamel and pearl-set pocket watch with centre seconds.

CHF 20,000 - 30,000

EUR 13,000 - 20,000 / USD 16,000 - 25,000

Sold: CHF 32,200

C. Three-body, sprung and hinged bezel set with half-pearls, extended flat band pierced with red and blue enamel oval panels with gold paillons, half-pearl border, the reverse decorated to match, the back with a panel of dark blue guilloché enamel with foliate gold paillon border, half-pearl surround and outer border. D. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minutes / seconds, Arabic quarter hour numerals. Pierced gold ?Jaquet Droz? hands. M. 42 mm., gilt, full plate, foliate chased and engraved backplate furniture, cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, cylinder escapement, three-arm brass balance, pierced and chased single footed cock flush with the backplate, diamond endstone, silvered regulation dial, gilt brass dust ring. Signed on the gold dust ring. Diam. 64 mm.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Pierre and Henry-Louis Jaquet Droz Born on July 28, 1721 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Pierre Jaquet Droz studied humanities and philosophy in Basel from 1738 to 1739 and then became interested in horology. On October 25, 1750, Pierre Jaquet Droz married Marianne Sandoz, but at the age of thirty-four he was left a widower. Pierre never remarried, but seems to have devoted himself to his work as a watchmaker with all the more intensity. The second child of Pierre Jaquet Droz and his wife Marianne, Henri-Louis, was born on October 13, 1752. After completing his studies, Henri-Louis took his place in his father's workshop, side by side with Jean-Frédéric Leschot (1746-1824), an adoptive son. It was the beginning of a close and fruitful partnership between the three men. When Pierre Jaquet Droz grew old, the firm was taken over by his son Henri and Jean Frédéric Leschot, who changed the name to Jaquet Droz & Leschot. Pierre Jaquet Droz died in Biel in 1790.