Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 24, 1999

LOT 608

Piguet Meylan, Geneva, No. 4663, retailed by Fd. Aubert, Geneva, made for the Chinese Market, circa 1820. Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, pearl-set, quarter repeating centre seconds musical watch with automaton scene.

CHF 70,000 - 90,000

C. Three body, Empire with split-pearl set bezels, pendant and bow, the band with champleve enamelled decoration, the back enamel panel painted with a very fine composition of summer flowers over a powder blue ground. D. White enamel with Roman numerals and outer minute and seconds ring. Gold Breguet hands. Disclosed by the spring-loaded back, the varicoloured gold automaton scene of a sitting man in classical dress, playing the lyre and children on a see-saw in applied over a finely painted enamel lake-side landscape, a castle on the back ground. M. 22"', gilt brass double train with free standing barrels engraved with a foliage decoration, inverted cylinder escapement with plain brass three-arm balance and flat balance spring. Repeating on gongs by depressing the pendant. Pin-disc musical train with 19 vibrating steel teeth on either side of the disc. Piquet t' Meylan Master Mark on the front plate, beneath the dial (rubbed). Diam. 59 mm


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 4-21

Fair

Period
Movement: *4

Fair

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 22-01

Later original

HANDS Original

Notes

Although the Piguet Meylan Master Mark was clearly rubbed out on the front plate (almost certainly by Ferdinand Aubert, the retailer who did not wish the maker to be known), this watch was undoubtedly made in the celebrated workshop. Philippe Samuel Meylan, born February 15th, 1772 in Bas-du- Chenit, died in 1845. At 20 years old he came to Geneva where he worked for the Godemar Freres in quality of Master worker. He then went back to Brassus where he founded a little factory in 1811 and finally returned to Geneva where he settled. There he met another watchmaker from his own village, Isaac Piguet, with whom he went into partnership, founding the Piguet & Meylan firm, which lasted from 1811 to 1828. It specialised in minute "repeaters", musical watches, skeleton or automaton watches, mechanical animals and figures. Daniel Isaac Piguet, born in Chenit in 1775, died in Geneva in 1841. Very skilful watchmaker, he first entered into partnership with Henry Capt, from 1802 to 1811, then with Samuel Philippe Meylan, another watchmaker from the same village, until 1828. Their works were signed or marked "P.M." within a lozenge. After 1828, he went on with his activities with his son, under the name of Piguet ID & Fils. Their creations were for a large part made for the Chinese Market. It is told that an important collector from Sidney bought a large quantity of watches and other musical and automaton objects of vertu, but the boat which carried the pieces was shipwrecked in the middle of the Indian Ocean.