168,500 CHF
The Love Letter Attributed to Jaquet Droz, No. 1882, Geneva, enamel attributed to Léonard Arlaud, made for the Chinese market circa 1785. Highly important 18K gold and painted on enamel, paillon-decorated, split pearl- and diamond-set oval center-seconds watch. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute/seconds ring divided into fourths. Gold "crescent moon" hands. oval, 66 x 46 mm., gilt brass, fully engraved with stylized foliage Lepine caliber, standing barrel, cylinder escapement, three-arm brass balance with flat balance spring, diamond endstone.Numbered on case and movement.Dim. 87 x 53 mm. Notes This is one of the most spectacular of all known oval watches by Jaquet-Droz, which are extremely rare. A similar one is in the collection of the Jaquet-Droz museum, however with not so lavishly a decorated front. Jaquet-Droz was the first to introduce oval shaped watches destined for the Chinese market, Subsequently William Anthony also made several pairs of oval watches for the same market. Jaquet-Droz was also one of the first to base the decoration of his watches on paillon design - tiny pieces of gold or silver foil cut into flowers or leaves and arranged in a number of different patterns over enamel and under the flux overglaze. The present watch is a splendid example of this art. Jaquet-Droz was also the first in Switzerland to introduce Lepine caliber in his movements, again, this watch demonstrates this clearly. Pierre Jaquet-Droz 1721-1790. Born in La C
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-06-14
