86,250 CHF
Piguet & Capt à Geneve, Swiss, early 19th. century. Exceptionally rare and impressive gold, enamel, diamond and pearl pendant watch with musical movement. Octagonal foliage engraved casing for the watch movement, the back pierced with silk lining, surmounted by a massive semi-circular rose-cut diamond and suspended from a matching engraved gold and rosediamond set ribbon brooch, a knop pendant suspended below, comprising an oval rose diamond, a large pierced natural pearl and a sapphire and diamond-set bail suspending 31 tassels of strung seed pearls. Engraved gold dial plate decorated with flowers and foliage on a blue guilloche ground, small subsidiary white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, the rosediamond set spiral balance visible above. Blued-steel hands. Octagonal brass plates, two tier, going train with fixed barrel, cylinder escapement, flat balance spring with regulator. Pin barrel musical train mounted on the tower tier with five teeth mounted individually. Released by a detent in the edge of the case. Signed with a scratched signature on the front plate. In very good condition. Dims. 30 x 18 mm. watch, 130 mm. overall Notes Perhaps half a dozen Swiss miniature repeating watches of varying forms (rings, brooches etc. ) are known to exist, two of which have automaton figures. Examples with a musical train instead would appear to be even rarer, with this example being the only recorded to date.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1992-10-17
