5,290 CHF
A Sentimental JourneyGregson à Paris, circa 1790. Fine and unusual gilt metal and enamel form watch designed as a pear, with visible balance. 56.5 mm o, hinged, pear-shaped, full plate brass, cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance with flat balance spring, pierced and engraved cock.Signed on the dial and movement.Dim. 67 x 48 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, page 392-393. Notes The watch was in all likelihood made by Jean Gregson. Of British origin, he was watchmaker to the King. Gregson must have been considered one of the best by his contemporaries, for he was chosen in 1786 to be a member of the commission studying the Royal Clock Manufactory. Only three other watchmakers were named to the commission: Breguet, Berthoud and Lepaute.Ring watchesWatchmakers have always been fascinated with the idea of fitting a watch into a ring. Only a few succeeded. In the early days, successful attempts ended up on a King's or a Prince's finger or that of a prelate. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art there survives a very early ring watch, dated about 1560 and signed I.W. In the Mantua archives there is a letter from James Widman to the Duke of Mantua concerning three ring watches, and quite possibly, one of them is the one in the Metropolitan Museum.In about 1650 Johan Ulrich Schmidt of Augsburg made a ring watch for the Elector Johann Friedrich. In 1764, the young John Arnold presented an amazing ring watch to King George III of Eng
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2001-03-31