Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Hotel Noga Hilton, Oct 16, 2005

LOT 46

"Poetry and Love" Lépine Horloger du Roy a Paris, "Invenit et Fecit", No. 5659. Paris hallmarks for 1789. Fine and extremely rare, 18K gold, painted on enamel and pearl-set pocket watch with wolf?s-toothed train.

CHF 16,000 - 21,000

EUR 10,000 - 14,000 / USD 13,000 - 17,000

Sold: CHF 18,975

C. Two-body, by Guillaume Mermillod (GM), split-pearl set bezels, pendant and bow, concealed hinge, hinged and sprung back cover overlaid with green translucent guilloche enamel and centered with a finely painted partly-grisaille miniature depicting Erato with a putto in a classical landscape, gold paillon border. Hinged gilt brass cuvette. D. White enamel with mixed Roman and Arabic numerals, outer minute track with Arabic quarter-hour numerals. Gold pierced "fleur-de-lys and arrow" hands. M. Gilt brass 17''', Lepine caliber, standing barrel and wolf's-tooth wheel train, cylinder escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, blued steel flat balance spring, index regulator. Dial and cuvette signed, cuvette engraved with three fleur-de-lys. Diam. 50 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3-40

Good

Slightly repolished
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

This watch is a very good example of Lépine's production for a very short period between 1788 and 1790. Not only by the case with concealed hinge and fixed bezel, but also by the movement with wolf's tooth wheel train wound from the back through the cuvette, by the dial with mixed Roman and Arabic numerals - the numeral I being surrounded by a thin line. It is extremely rare to find a watch with such unusual features in such good condition. Together with the very elegant interlaced hands, these three features mark the ultimate development of the style introduced by Jean-Antoine Lépine. According to A. Chapiro in his book ?Jean-Antoine Lepine Horloger (1720-1814)?, the mixed Roman and Arabic numerals were only used by Lépine for the dials of watches numbered between 5400 and 5700. Such watches were produced during a very short period, roughly 1788 to 1790. Among the unusual features of these dials, beside the combination of Roman and Arabic numerals. It is interesting to point out that the numeral I is framed in an oval and chapter 4, as opposed to the design used by all other makers, is marked "IV" instead of "IIII". These dials are undoubtedly among the most original attempts ever made to improve the aesthetic of dials. The design served as a source of inspiration during the Art Deco period, being used by Rolex, in particular. This watch was sold by Antiquorum, Geneva, April 12th & 13th, 1997, Lot 453. For an example of another watch and a clock with Lepine's special mixed Roman and Arabic dial see: Antiquorum, Geneva, April 12th & 13th, 1997, Lots 265 & 452. The present lot was previously sold by Antiquorum Geneva, on April 13, 1997, lot 453. For a biography of Lépine, see lot 34.