Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Hotel Noga Hilton, Oct 16, 2005

LOT 33

?Day and Night? Geneva, made for the French market, circa 1780. Very fine and very rare, gold, enamel and rose diamond-set double-dialled pocket watch with calendar, sun and moon dial, dial for diurnal and nocturnal hours and visible balance wheel.

CHF 28,000 - 33,000

EUR 18,000 - 21,000 / USD 23,000 - 27,000

Sold: CHF 32,200

C. Two-body, bezels decorated with foliate blue and white enamel on an engraved ground. D. Pink enamel with four white subsidiary dials intersected by rose diamond-set fleur-de-lys (some stones replaced), mean time dial with radial Roman numerals, minute track and Arabic five minute numerals, calendar dial, subsidiary seconds, regulation dial, the centre with aperture for the visible balance wheel. Gold hands. The back with rotating enamel sun and moon dial, outer white enamel annular chapter ring with radial Roman numerals for the diurnal and nocturnal hours. Stone set hand. M. 35 mm., gilt brass, full-plate, turned pillars, the backplate with engraved foliate border, spring barrel, cylinder escapement, three-arm gold balance set with rose diamonds, blued steel flat balance spring. Diam. 43 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3-50

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-28-03

Good

Replacements

HANDS Period

Notes

The sun and moon disc and the hand for the diurnal/nocturnal dial are driven from a small pinion with 12 leaves meshing with another wheel mounted to the spring barrel arbour. This very beautiful watch although unsigned, shows the influence of Lepine in its execution. It would have been made for a wealthy and fashionable member of the French aristocracy.