Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Jul 09, 2016

LOT 121

H.R. EKEGREN RETROGRADE PERPETUAL CALENDAR GOLD AND ENAMEL Swiss, Retailed by H.R. Ekegrèn, Copenhagen, case Nr. 13655. Made circa 1870. Very fine and rare, hunting-cased, key-wound 18K gold and enamel pocket watch with retrograde perpetual calendar.

HKD 62,000 - 94,000

USD 7,980 - 12,100 / CHF 7,900 - 11,980

Sold: HKD 93,750

Four-body, bassine et filets, polished, the front cover with an engraved foliate monogram and a mermaid, the rim engraved: "Presented to Sam Smith for faithful service by Mrs. Theodorus Bailey Myers and Mrs. Julian James," cloisonné enamel case back depicting Chinese junk vessels in a harbor. Hinged gold cuvette with apertures for winding and setting. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary dials for the seconds and the months, aperture for the days of the week at 12, retrograde date sector. Blued steel Breguet hands. 19''', nickel plated, 15 jewels, bar bridges, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold adjustment screws, blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3**

Good

Repair required, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-24-01

Good

Slightly chipped

HANDS Original

Notes

Dial and cuvette signed by the retailer. DIAM. 51 mm. H.R. EKREGEN was founded by HENRI-ROBERTS EKEGREN in 1856 and was a watchmaker to the King of Denmark. The enamel work is reminiscent of the work by J. GRAFF renowned for his exquisite artistry receiving commissions from Indian maharajas, European nobility and American industrialists of his time. For images of watches with J. Graff's enamel portraits, see Jaquet, E. & Chapuis, A., Technique and History of the Swiss Watch, p.133.