Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Hotel Noga Hilton, Oct 16, 2005

LOT 56

"Rose Bouquet" Bovet, Fleurier. Made for the Chinese market, circa 1850. Very fine, 18K gold and painted on enamel, pearl-set center-seconds pocket watch with duplex escapement.

CHF 25,000 - 30,000

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

Sold: CHF 27,600

C. Three-body, ?Empire?, pale blue, red and white enameled band, back finely painted on enamel with a bouquet of flowers including pink roses, pearl-set bezels, enameled pearl-set pendant,and bow. gold cuvette hinged to the movement ring. D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute/seconds divisions with fifteen-minute/seconds Arabic numerals. Blued steel ?ovoid? hands. M. 21''', mirror-polished steel, "Chinese" caliber with steel wheels and standing barrel, 8 jewels, duplex escapement, bimetallic compensation balance with blued steel winged weights, blued steel flat balance-spring, index regulator. Movement signed. Diam. 57.5 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent

Case: 3-40

Good

Slightly repolished

Movement: 3-5-6*

Good

Poor

Slightly oxidized

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

Bovet A watchmaking dynasty founded by Edouard, Frédéric, Alphonse, Gustave, Charles-Henri, and Caroline Bovet, of Fleurier. In 1822, a Bovet partnership was founded for the Chinese watch trade in Canton. In 1840, Bovet Frères et Cie was esetablished in Fleurier, and in 1864, the Bovet watch production was sold to Bovet?s manufacturing inspectors in Fleurier, Jules Jéquier and Ernest Bobillier, soon joined by Ami Leuba. In 1888, Bovet Frères was founded under the direction of Alexis Landry, who served his apprenticeship in Fritz Bovet?s workshop in Fleurier, producing ebauches for Chinese watches and silver cases. Alexis Landry formed a partnership with Albert and Jean Bovet, specializing in complicated watches and chronographs. In 1901, the Bovet trademark was acquired by César and Charles Leuba, sons of Ami Leuba. In 1918, Jacques Ullmann & Co. of La Chaux-de-Fonds bought the Bovet brand from Leuba Brothers, and in 1948, Favre-Leuba took over the company and acquired the first production plant. In 1966 Favre-Leuba sold the Fleurier plant, and in 1989 Parmigiani acquired the Bovet name. A limited company registered as Bovet Fleurier S.A. was formed in 1990, using the Bovet trademark. In 1994, Roger Guye and a partner bought Bovet Fleurier S.A. and opened a branch in Geneva. Pascal Raffy became the majority shareholder and President in 2001. Today, Bovet timepieces are widely available in the world's major destinations. Eager to maintain its historical roots in the Far East, the company has subsidiaries in Hong Kong and Japan, and delivers its collection to select distributors in Singapore, Taiwan, the Middle East, Turkey, Russia, the United States, London, and Geneva. The present lot was previously sold by Antiquorum Geneva, on April 23, 1995, lot 526.