747,500 HKD
Jaquet Droz, London, circa 1785. Extremely fine and rare gold and enamel, pearl set quarter striking clock-watch with center seconds. Three-body, hinged bezel set with pearls and decorated withdark blue and white enamel semi-circles, hinged back with pearlset and enamel border decorated to match the bezel, finelypainted with a scene of a young couple dresssed as a shepherdand shepherdess in an arcadian landscape, dark blue translu-centground with cream enamel and multi-coloured paillion bor-der. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer secondsring, Arabic quarter markers. Fine pierced gold hands. 36 mm., frosted gilt full-plate with cylindrical pillars,standing barrels, cylinder escapement,continental style cock foliate-pierced to formthe name "Droz", plain brass three-arm balance,striking with two hammers on a bell.Signed on the movement.Diam. 52 mm. Notes This watch is illustrated in “Orologi della collezione Ruscitti” as no. 35, and was sold by Antiquorum on October 14, 2001, lot 602. Pierre Jaquet Droz and Henry-Louis Jaquet Droz B B orn on July 28, 1721 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Pierre Jaquet Droz was the son of a farmer who was an occasional clockmaker as well. He studied humanities and philosophy in Basel from 1738 to 1739 and then became interested in horology. We know little of him as a person, only that he was sober, serious, taciturn, and very careful in his work. On October 25, 1750, Pierre Jaquet Droz married Marianne Sandoz, the daughter of Civil Lieutenan
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2005-02-20
