Unsigned (Henry Capt, Geneve'), circa 1810. Very fine and rare, 18K gold and enamel, pearl and diamond-set watch designed as a harp with music. Original gold and enamel key. | Important Watches, Wristwatches and Clocks & Ulysse Nardin Jubilee | Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, 12th October 1996

Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 12, 1996

LOT 613

Unsigned (Henry Capt, Geneve?), circa 1810. Very fine and rare, 18K gold and enamel, pearl and diamond-set watch designed as a harp with music. Original gold and enamel key.

CHF 70,000 - 80,000

C. The watch with pearl set bezel is set on the back of the instrument below below a fine enamel panel painted with a vase of Summer flowers on a black ground, side panels of blue enamel with chased and engraved stylised urns of flowers set with split-pearls, the harp strings of gold wire secured by rose-cut diamonds. Short gold suspension chain. D. White enamel with Breguet numerals. Blued steel "spade" hands. Dial plate of black champleve enamel with foliage decoration. M. Hinged gilt brass shaped, full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance and gilt brass continental cock with polished steel endpiece. Gilt brass musical movement with pin-barrel and six stacked vibrating steel blades. In very good condition. Dim. 82 x 50 mm.

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At the period this watch was made, Henry Capt and Piguet Meylan only were making such type of musical objects of virtu in Geneva. The musical movements with pin-barrel and stacked steel blades is very much in the style of those produced by Henry Capt. Similar watches are in the collection of the Musee de l' Horlogerie et de I'emaillerie, Geneva, in the Farouk Collection and the Percy Webster collection.