FlowersDimier

FlowersDimier, Genève, circa 1860, made for the Chinese market. Large, gilt metal and enamel, pearl-set, dead center-seconds watch with polished steel movement, special escapement and unusual balance. Three-body, back with finely painted flowers over an azure background, the bezels, bow and pendant set with half pearls, reeded band, glazed spring-loaded cuvette mounted on the movement ring. White enamel, radial Roman chapters, outer minute and seconds divisions. Blued-steel "spoon" hands. 53.6 mm, "Chinese" calibre, the plate and the bridges of polished steel, 11 jewels, half-second double-tooth, "Chinese" ruby duplex escapement, uncut bimetallic three-arm steel balance with five rubes on the rim set in special settings.Signed on the movement. Diam. 62 mm. Notes The Chinese Duplex escapement, invented in 1830 by Ch.-Ed. Jacot of la Chaux-de-Fonds, enabled inexpensive production of dead center-second watches.Dimier & CieWere merchants who exported to China, they were recorded around 1835 in the rue Croix d'Or 27, in 1857 Quai des Bergues, and in 1860 Quai des Etuves. They specialized in small watches with fusee and cock bearing cases of gilt metal or gold, painted on enamel, and with pearl-set floral decoration.Dictionnaire des Horlogers Genevois, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum Editions, Geneva, 1998.