Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Hotel Noga Hilton, Oct 16, 2005

LOT 85

?Polychrome Champlevé? J(ean) Rousseau, Geneva. Made circa 1630. Very fine and very rare gold, gilt metal and rock crystal pre-balance spring, single-hand oval pendant watch. To be sold without reserve.

CHF 20,000 - 30,000

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

Sold: CHF 48,300

C. Three-body, gilt brass, the band with oval hinged rings and oval rock crystal, the bezels set with domed rock crystal and engraved with delicate foliage on the inside and a stiff-leaf pattern on the outside, cast metal pendant, loose ring. D. Gold, radial Roman black champlevé enamel numerals, decorated with blue, green and red champlevé enamel. Blued-steel ?tulip? hand. M. 25 x 28 mm, gilt brass full plate with vase baluster pillars, fusee and gut line, four-wheel train with five-leaf pinions, verge escapement, plain two-arm brass balance without spring, irregular elongated gilt one-footed cock secured by a screw and pierced and engraved with flowers and foliage, ratchet wheel and click set-up. Signed on the movement. Dim. 50 x 32 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3-6*

Good

Slightly oxidized

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-21-01

Good

Period

HANDS Original

Notes

Literature: Published in the book of the collection of Lord Sandberg, page 54-55. A fine example of a rare pendant form watch produced in Geneva during the first part of the 17th century. It is interesting to notice the remnants of the previous era in its construction - block of the cock as were used for pinning and its S-shaped skeleton. The dial's pattern follows the Livre contenant passements de moresques by Jacques Androuet du Cerceau, published in France in the 16th Century. Jean Rousseau, le Jeune, (1606-1684) Jean-Jacques Rousseau's great-grandfather, worked in Geneva where he was famous for high quality watches. He made several form watches, but also complicated watches such as clock-watches, alarm-watches and astronomical watches. Master of the Clockmakers Company of Geneva, he formed several apprentices: Isaac Bordier, son of Jacques I and Ypollite Noël, in 1631, Jean-François Lachis in 1644, Pierre Bérard in 1649, Antoine Garnier in 1652, Jean Blancher and Amédée Marchand in 1659. He was the son of the famous Jean Rousseau I. Jean Rousseau I, (1580-1642) Maître horloger, he specialised in form watches, notably animals and birds and crucifix watches. "Dictionnaire des Horlogers Genevois" Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum Editions Geneva, 1998 The present lot was previously sold by Antiquorum Geneva on April 12, 2003, lot 487.