George Smith Fecit, English, circa 1600. Highly important and very fine gold, enamel and diamond pendant watch. | Important Wristwatches, Watches & Clocks | Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, 11th April 1992

Important Wristwatches, Watches & Clocks

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 11, 1992

LOT 561

George Smith Fecit, English, circa 1600. Highly important and very fine gold, enamel and diamond pendant watch.

CHF 220,000 - 260,000

Sold: CHF 204,250

C. Elliptical, two body, the band of bombé form decorated with white crescent designs on a black ground, mounted with eleven diamond-set gold motifs secured by pins on the interior of the case. Back and hinged cover set with gold and diamond motifs of matching design. Interior of cover centred with turquoise enamel within a border of blue translucent enamel on a flinqué ground, the interior of the back with turquoise counter enamel in the centre. Loose-ring pendant. D. Gold dial plate decorated in champlevé enamel with a scene of Jonah being swallowed by the whale, the storm winds represented by winged cherubs above, the centre with a trophy of arms. Black enamelled Roman and Arabic numerals for XII and 24 hours. Single blued-steel tulip hand. M. Oval gIIt brass plates with turned balluster pillars, fusee with gut, short train with verge escapement and plain two-arm steel balance. Irregular florally pierced and engraved cock secured by a pin, the ratchet wheel set-up with matching click cock and blued-steel spring. Signed on the backplate. In very good condition. Dims. 50 x 31 mm.

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Notes

George Smith, London, working from circa 1600, a founder member of the Clockmakers Company in 1632, along with David Ramsey, Edward East, Simon Bartram and David Bouquet etc. The extraordinary richness of the case of this watch defines it as more of a jewel than a functional time keeper, and indeed, both clocks and watches were considered as important status symbols at his period, notably when their decoration represented the highest level of the goldsmith and jeweller's arts. Surviving watches in enamel and jewel-set cases from this period are exceptionally rare, the majority of examples being of German origin. According to surviving inventories Queen Elizabeth I owned more than twenty-five gold, enamel and often jewel-set watches, which would tend to indicate that a fair number of such "jewels" were originally owned by the wealthiest of her courtiers. That so few have survived is explained by the Tact that they were considered as monetary Instruments, and clearly many of the finest items were sold to raise funds for the Royalist cause during the civil war.