Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Hong Kong, Apr 23, 2006

LOT 425

?Titus and Berenice? Edouard Juvet, Fleurier. Made for the Chinese market, circa 1835. Very fine, 18K gold and painted on enamel center-seconds pocket watch.

HKD 230,000 - 300,000

USD 30,000 - 40,000 / EUR 25,000 - 32,000

Sold: HKD 295,000

C. Three-body, "Chinese", spring-loaded back finely painted on enamel depicting Titus and Berenice, a rose garlanded plinth to the left, red guilloché background, the bezels with a repeated champlevé enamel pattern of white flowers and translucent scarlet and blue, the pendant and bow decorated to match. Gold cuvette hinged to the movement ring. D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute track with fifteen-minute Arabic numerals. Blued steel ?ovoid? hands. M. 47 mm. (21'''), gilt brass, fully engraved "Chinese" caliber, 11 jewels, free-standing barrel, counterpoised lateral lever escapement, three arm steel balance with shaped blued-steel weights, flat steel balance spring, index regulator. Movement signed in Chinese characters. Diam. 56 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Edouard & Léo Juvet One of the important Swiss horological families working for the Chinese market. Edouard Juvet (1820-1883) was first established in Buttes in 1842, but in 1844 moved his workshop to Fleurier. He began making "Chinese" watches in 1856. Edouard's sons Ami-Louis and Léo traveled to China to work in the family firm. When Ami-Louis died there, Léo (1848-1891) took his place. In Shanghai, the Juvets were rivaled only by the Bovets, yet the two families maintained friendly relations. The Maison Juvet prospered, opening branches in Tien-Tsin and Saigon, to the extent that in 1872 Léo wrote : "Our watches sell like salt". In 1873, Edouard Juvet registered a trademark in Chinese characters, which was used on the company's products. He granted his son Léo power of attorney in November 1875, and after his death in February 1883, Léo succeeded him at the head of the firm. A very similar pair of watches was part of the Lord Sandberg Collection. See Antiquorum, The Sandberg Watch Collection, March 31, 2001, No. 361.