Important Collectors’ Wristwatches Po...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 22, 1995

LOT 368

Gregson à Paris, circa 1780. Very fine and elegant, 18 ct. gold and enamel, slim watch in glazed protecting case.

CHF 20,000 - 25,000

USD 16,000 - 20,000

Sold: CHF 18,400

C. Double body, "lenticular", bezels and pendant with champleve paillonné decoration, the back enamelled with a very fine painted scene depicting two ladies and a soldier in a landscape, near by a military camp. Glazed gilt brass protecting case. D. White enamel with Roman numerals. Gold pierced hands. M. Hinged gilt brass, very thin Hessen's calibre with going ban-el passing through the back plate, brass cylinder escapement, plain gilt brass three-arm balance and flat balance spring. Signed on the dial and the back plate. In very good condition. Diam. 54 mm.


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Notes

Previously in the Muller collection in Milan, this watch is illustrated in E. Morpurgo Precious watches froin the XVIth to the XIXth century, Omega Edition, 1955, page 88. Very fine example of the thinnest type of watch ever produced toward the end of the XVIIth century. Invented by André Hessen circa 1775, Gregson was among the very few makers able to produce such watches by that period. The enamel painting of the back in fine pastel colours is also typical of the work of Hessen. Together with Kinable, coming from England as well, and Andre Hessen, coming from Sweden, Pierre Gregson was one of the few eminent foreign makers working in Paris for the Court of France. His watches are very similar to those produced by Hessen and one might think they were seeing each other if not working together at ail. The most elegant watches of this period were produced in their workshop.