The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 171

The Ode to Love.Henri Martin, Genève, circa 1790.Very fine and rare, large and slim, 18 ct. gold, half pearl-set watch, with a painting on enamel representing the scene of 'Lost Virginity ', in a glazed protecting case, made for the Spanish market.

C. Two-body, 'Louis XVI', the back with an oval painted enamel scene showing a young couple and an empty cage. The maiden is seated with a dead canary on her lap, while the young man stands romantically writing an ode to the girl's lost virginity which the dead bird represents. The painting is encircled by graduated half pearls and a translucent blue enamel ring with different style paillon patterns and floral white opaque enamel decoration divided by flowers, set with graduated half pearls, thependant in translucent blue enamel over floral paillons. Spring-loaded bezel with blue translucent enamel over a paillon laurel leaf pattern separated by half pearls. D. White enamel, Arabic numerals, outer minute divisions, Arabic 15 minutes. Gold Breguet hands.M. 48.8 mm o, hinged, gilt brass full plate with round conical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain brass balance, continental cock symmetrically pierced and engraved with six tulips, rack and pinion regulator with silver plate.Signed on dial and movement.Diam. 61 mm.. Published in the Sandberg book, pages 160-161.