13,800 CHF
Timekeeper with 1 ComplicationMoses and the Ten CommandmentsDebeaufre, London, circa 1720. Very fine 22K gold pair-cased half quarter-repeating and à tact watch. Gold, champlevé enamel Roman hour chapter, arched outer minute ring with five-minute Arabic markers. Blued steel "beetle and poker" hands. 32,mm, gilt brass full plate with octagonal baluster pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain three-arm brass balance, blued steel flat balance spring, silver cock with streamers, pierced and engraved with two mythical creatures among scrolling decoration, straight cut foot, early all-or-nothing repeating system with both racks under the dial, repeating on bell or à tact by depressing the pendant.Signed on the dial, back plate and the dust cap, the inner case stamped "AG".Diam. 51 mm. Notes Peter Debaufre (1675 Paris - c. 1730, London)In 1689 he settled in London, where he remained until at least 1722. He invented the double-wheel dead-beat verge escapement, and in 1704, along with his brother Jacob and Nicholas Fatio, he attempted to patent jeweling for watches, but met with fierce and unjust opposition on the part of the Clockmakers Company. Debaufre was a very celebrated maker; Isaac Newton carried one of his watches.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2001-11-11
