Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

The Ritz-carlton Hotel, Hong-kong, Jun 08, 2002

LOT 205

EratoJaquet Droz et Leschot à Paris, No. 141, circa 1788, made for the Spanish market.Extremely rare and very fine 18K gold and painted on enamel pair-cased pearl-set pocket watch with date.

HKD 113,000 - 130,000

EUR 16,300 - 19,000 / USD 14,500 - 16,500

Sold: HKD 310,500

C. Outer: protective, brass, glazed, inner: two-body, "Dire-ctoire", the back panel very finely painted on enamel with Erato, the muse of love poetry, holding a lyre, graduated pearl frame, borders with gold flowers on azure enamel ground within a graduated pearl border, above strips of alternating flinqué gold and blue enamel, white enamel edge, bezel with gold and silver paillons on blue, white and black enamel.D. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute divisions with fifteen-minute Arabic markers, inner 31-day date scale. Gold "crescent" hands. M. 42 mm., hinged, gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring, continental cock pierced and engraved with six tulips, polished steel end plate, hinged and spring-loaded gilt dust cap.Signed on the dust cap and the movement, pendant punched with "141" on one side and casemaker's mark "NJ" under a crown and over a star, on the other.Diam. 53 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 33

Restored
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

This is only the second known Jaquet Droz et Leschot watch signed "Paris". For the other, see Antiquorum April 13, 1997, lot 460. We know that the firm sold few watches for the French market. The signature may be due to an attempt to take advantage of the prestige that the name of the French capital held on the Hispanic market."But when Erato brushed her flowery lute,What strains of sweetness whispered in the wind!Soft as at evening when the shepherd's fluteTo tones of melting love alone resigned,Breathes through the windings of the silent vale;Complaining accents tremble on the gale,Or notes of ecstacy serenely roll.So when the smiling muse of Cupid sung,Her melody sighed out the sorrowing soul,Or o'er her silken chords sweet notes of gladness rung."From An Ode To Music, by James Percival