Important watches and collector's Wis...

Hong Kong, Victoria Hotel, Jun 17, 1994

LOT 323

Jaques Cartier (Geneva), circa 1670. Extremely fine and rare 20 ct. gold and enamel watch.

HKD 0 - 0

Sold: HKD 1,317,800

C. Double body, bassine, the bezel with cloisonne multi-coloured decoration, the back entirely overlaid with pierced and raised and enamelled multicoloured summer-flowers. Loose-ring pendant D. White enamel chapter with Roman numerals, the centre decorated with various flowers. Single tulip pattern gilt brass hand. M. Hinged gilt brass full plate with gilt brass twisted pillars, fusee with gut fine, three wheel train with verge escapement, plain twoarm steel balance without spring, irregular oval form cock pierced and engraved with foliage. Worm-andwheel set-up with delicately pierced blued steel brackets, silver regulator disc and engraved floral decoration. Signed on the back plate. In very good condition. Diam. 46 mm. Estimate: HK$ * *' SFr. ' "


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Notes

Jacques Cartier worked during the second part of the XVIlth century. He had Henry Flournous and Abraham Thomeguex as pupils in 1860 and Jean- Zacharie Gervais in 1961. He appears to have produced a series of watches with movements decorated in the style that was popular with the Turkish market, this being such an example. The technique of enamel decoration used on this watch case is exceptionally rare; variously described as émail en plein or émail en ronde bosse d'or, it involves embossing and piercing the outer layer of the case with flowers which are then decorated with translucent and solid enamels in a wide range of colours, an inner gold skin prevents dust from entering the movement. A similar technic was employed for the watches illustrated by G.H. Baillie, in Watches, London 1929, plate XXXI and plate XXXV.