97,000 CHF
The Blacksmith. Attributed to Piguet et Capt, Genève, circa 1805. Very fine, and very rare 18K gold and enamel pearl-set double train automaton watch with visible diamond-set balance mounted in a ring. Rectangular top with canted corners, half pearl-set bezel, polished flat band and back with a sliding cover of winding and setting apertures, unusual shank extending at the top, hinged on both sides with a mechanism allowing for easy expansion or contraction, a pin at the left side for activating the automaton. Set on a painted on enamel scene, an applied multicolored gold blacksmith hammering on an anvil, a forge close by and a fountain with running water. Small, eccentric, with Breguet numerals and outer minute dot divisions. Blued steel “index” hands. Rectangular with canted corners, 27.9 x 13.8 mm., brass full plate, two fixed barrels, cylinder escapement, three-arm diamond-set balance with flat balance spring, the blacksmith activated by pins set on the second wheel of the automaton train.Dim. 35 x 21 mm. Notes For biographies of Piguet and Capt see pp. 28 and 29, catalogue of the first session.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-10-11
