The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 42

The See-sawUnsigned, Geneva, probably by Piguet and Capt, circa 1810.Very fine and extremely rare 18 ct. varicoloured gold and enamel, pearl-set ring watch with three automata.

CHF 40,000 - 50,000

USD 24,000 - 30,000

Sold: CHF 234,500

C. Oval top housing the watch and the automata, pearl-set bezel, the head is fitted to the shank with runners and on its underside a shutter gives access to the winding and setting squares, the sides of the shank embossed and engraved with palm leaf decoration. D. Eccentric, white enamel, Breguet numerals, outer minute division. Blued-steel Breguet hands. A varicoloured gold couple rock on a see-saw while a small boy in the tree chops the branches above them with his axe. The tree curves aroundhe visible, diamond-set balance. The whole mounted on an oval painted enamel dial plate with a lakescape. M. 16.5 x 30.6 mm, oval, plain brass, fixed barrel, cylinder escapement, steel escape wheel, three curved arm diamond-set balance, flat balance spring.The automaton is driven by a five-wheel train with eccentric end pinion to regulate the speed of the movements and activated by a small lever on the top right..Dim. Length 38 mm, width 25 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, page 390-391.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3 - 6
Movement: 3 - 5 - 6*
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

This watch is illustrated in 'Montres de fantaisie',Osvaldo Patrizzi and Fabienne X. Sturm, Geneva, 1979, fig. 67.For discussion on ring watches, see page 72.