Important Collectors’ Wristwatches,an...

Hong Kong, Hotel Victoria Hong Kong, Jun 10, 1993

LOT 223

Daniel Quare, London, No. 2782, circa 1700. Very fine and rare silver watch.

HKD 60,000 - 80,000

CHF 12,000 - 15,000

C. Double body "oignon" type, polished. D. Silver champleve with Roman numerals and outer Arabic minute ring, aperture for the regulator below "XII". Blued steel "poker and beetle" hands. M. Hinged gilt brass full plate with Egyptian pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain steel three arm balance, flat balance spring, English gilt brass cock, pierced and engraved with a mask, flowers and scrolled foliage. Signed on the dial and back plate. In very good condition. Diam. 54 mm.


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Notes

Daniel Quare is perhaps best known for his invention of the repeating mechanism, but he made various other less well known innovations which are demonstrated on this watch. The first concerns the placement of the regulator on the dial from where it can be set. The second is the use of a single case with winding through the dial in a manner similar to the French " oignon" watches. The end result is a watch that is less bulky than the usual English pair case, and with all the functions readily operable without the need to partially dismantle it. These features in combination are apparently unique to Quare for the period.