The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 387

Abelard and HeloïsePiguet & Meylan, No. 7316, circa 1825.Magnificent and rare 18 ct. gold and enamel, pearl-set quarter repeating watch with centre seconds, made for the Chinese market.

C. Four-body, 'Empire', back cover decorated with a painted on enamel scene taken from an engraving by D.P. Pariset (born 1740), after Angelica Kauffmann (1741-1807). It depicts the parting of the star-crossed lovers Abelard and Heloïse. Their secret marriage had been exposed, and as the young man was soon to become a monk, she was forced to enter the convent of Argenteuil. Although they corresponded at length, many years passed before the pair met again. When she died in 1164, more than twentyears after him, they were buried together, and they are still together, in the Père-la-Chaise cemetery in Paris. The band decorated with flowers of red translucent enamel over flinqué ground, separated by green opaque enamel panels, the bezels, pendant and bow set with half-pearls, gold hinged cuvette decorated with musical instruments in champlevé enamel on a turquoise ground. D. White enamel with Roman chapters, outer minute and quarter second divisions. Blued-steel 'lozenge' hands. M. 46 mm ogilt brass full plate, entirely engraved, fixed barrel, cylinder escapement, gold three-arm balance, flat balance spring, repeating on two gongs by depressing the pendant.Stamped with the maker's stamp inside the back bezels and on the movement.Diam. 55 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, pages 310-311.