Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces
Monaco, Jan 19, 2023
LOT 5
François Lhardy
POCKET WATCH, QUARTER-REPEATER WITH TWO STRIKING JACKS; 18K YELLOW GOLD AND MULTICOLOURED GOLD
EUR 12,000 - 24,000
USD 12,900 - 25,800 / HKD 102,000 - 202,000 / CHF 11,900 - 23,800
18K yellow gold, open-face, key-winding, round-shaped, “Empire” pocket watch, with one horological complication:
· Quarter-repeater on two steel gongs (activated by depressing the pendant)
In the face of the watch, inside the dial, a chiselled varicoloured gold scene shows two Jacks (Jacquemarts), “Les Angelots grimpants”, striking the elapsed time.
White enamel ring dial with suspended Breguet numerals; blued steel Breguet hands.
In the décor representing an arch, on request, two cherubs strike the past time by climbing along the columns; the cupid, on the right, strikes the hours and the second stroke of the quarters while the cupid, on the left, strikes the first stroke of the quarters; below the arch, a dog looks at them; all animated by the repeating mechanism.
Case-back guilloché (engine-turned), with a horizontal oval medallion at 6; fluted case-band; gilded metal cuvette (dome).
Movement 20’’’, gilded brass, with fusee and chain, verge escapement, monometallic balance (gilded brass) and blued steel flat hairspring, pierced and engraved gilded continental cock, polished steel end-piece; repeater work on the main plate, under the dial.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: AAA |
Excellent |
Case: 3 |
Good |
Movement: 3* |
Good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 3-33-01 |
Good Restored HANDS Original |
Brand François Lhardy, Geneva
Year circa 1800-1810
Movement No. unnumbered
Case No. 7 694 (by “I•F”, probably Geneva)
Material 18K yellow gold
Diameter 57 mm.
Caliber 20’’’, fusee and chain, verge escapement
Weight 132.9 gr. (approx.)
Signature cuvette (dome) and movement
Notes
This type of watch with a quarter-repeater animated on the front by Jacks (jacquemarts) is relatively rare. In this case, the fact that the two cherubs climb up the columns of the arch is exceedingly rare.