18,400 CHF
“Ivory Watch” Russian or German. Made circa 1800. Very fine and extremely rare 18K gold “souvenir” watch with ivory movement and visible cock. Two-body, “Directoire”, polished and with glazed back, the glazed bezels with engraved decoration, the band engraved with the inscription: Zum Kindlichen Andenken. White enamel with Breguet numerals and gilt minute ring, outer Arabic quarter-hour numerals. Blued steel “scotties” hands. 37 mm., hinged ivory full-plate, baluster pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain three-arm balance, flat balance spring, large continental type foliate pierced balance cock with ruby endstone. Diam. 46 mm. Notes Watches such as this one, with ivory movements, were usually presentation pieces made in central Europe and are extremely rare. A very similar watch, presented to the Empress Josephine, was sold by Antiquorum, Geneva, April 21, 1996, Lot 346. Other examples of watches with ivory movements sold by Antiquorum, Geneva are : April 18 & 19, 1998, Lot 332 (bearing the Russian Imperial Arms); May 15, 2005, Lot 111. The present lot was previously sold by Antiquorum Hong Kong, on June 10, 1995, lot 44.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2005-10-16
