94,400 CHF
“Ring Watch” W(illiam) Hughes, London, No. 2097. Made circa 1770. Very fine and extremely rare 18K gold and rose cut diamond-set ring watch with a leather-covered fitted box. Circular body with rose cut diamond-set hinged bezel, polished band, shank with pierced rococo shoulders. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, winding aperture at 4 o’clock. Yellow gold "arrow" hands. 16 mm., hinged, frosted gilt full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, micrometric potence adjustment, three-arm brass balance with flat balance spring, pierced and engraved foliate cock, silver regulation disc. Movement signed. Diam. 18 mn. Property of an English Gentleman Notes William Hughes Appears to have been quite an inventive maker although little is known about him. He seems to have been familiar with the work of the French makers Lepine and Berthoud because his verge watches are often fitted with the micrometric potence adjustment particularly associated with these two French makers. He made watches for the Chinese market and a musical box with built in watch, dated 1769 was sold by Antiquorum, Geneva, April 2, 2000, Lot 383. The watch in this box had an almost identical dial and bezel to the present watch. Ring watches Watchmakers have always been fascinated with the idea of fitting a watch into a ring. Only a few succeeded. In the early days, successful attempts finished on the fingers of Kings, Princes and prelates. In the Metropolitan M
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2006-11-12
