Important collector's watches, wristw...

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Apr 13, 2002

LOT 63

Playing Putti L. Vrard & Co., Tientsin, Swiss, made for the Chinese market, circa 1900, enamel signed HL. Very small, fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, pearl- and red sapphire-set hunting-cased keyless minute-repeating watch.

CHF 30,000 - 35,000

EUR 21,000 - 25,000 / USD 18,000 - 20,000

C. Four-body, ?Empire?, front centered with a finely painted on enamel scene showing two putti playing on a cloud, red sapphire frame, outer border with rows of graduated half pearls, back cover entirely set with rows of pearls alternating with red sapphires, lobed band decorated with red and black champlevé enamel in geometrical pattern, gold hinged cuvette over gold bezel glazed for viewing the movement, graduated pearl-set pendant. D. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute divisions with five-minute Arabic markers, subsidiary sunk seconds. Gold ?Louis XV? hands. M. 33 mm (14 1/2???), nickel, decorated with Grecian-inspired geometrical pattern, 29 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, Breguet balance spring, repeating on gongs, slide on the band. Signed on the cuvette. Diam. 42 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

L. Vrard & Co. The firm was founded in 1860 under the name of Laidrich & Vrard, later becoming L. Vrard & Co. It began operations in 1862 in Tientsin and shortly thereafter in Shanghai, where it was the agent for Bovet watches until 1894. Another trading station was opened in 1889 in Hangkow and then in Hong Kong. Watches produced by Vrard ranged from the most commonplace to the most complicated, and like the Courvoisier firm, Vrard often entrusted the decoration of the cases to the Genevan artists Marc Dufaux, Louis Millenet, Louis Pauthex, P.-A. Champod and Louis Rosselet.