Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Hong Kong, Apr 23, 2006

LOT 428

?Romantic Ladies? Swiss, No. 157719, & No. 157720. Made for the Chinese market, circa 1875. Very fine, mirror-image pair of silver gilt, painted on enamel and pearl-set fob watches with center-seconds, and original morocco fitted case and keys.

C. Two-body, ?Consular?, back covers decorated with a finely painted portrait of a young lady, the portrait is surrounded by dark blue translucent enamel over engine-turning, the bezels set with half pearls, spring-loaded, gilded and glazed cuvette. D. Opaline enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute markers and fifteen-minute Arabic numerals, gilt pyramidal half hours and gilt central decoration. Blued steel 'ovoid' hands. M. 14.5???, gilded and entirely foliate engraved, ?Chinese? calibre, 16 jewels, standing barrel, counterpoised lateral lever escapement, monometallic compensation balance, flat balance spring. The cases with English-style prestige marks. Diam. 41 mm.