The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 9

The Judgement of ParisJ. George Viollier, Geneva, circa 1700.Very fine silver pair-cased single-hand alarm watch with day of the month indication.

CHF 8,000 - 12,000

USD 5,000 - 7,000

Sold: CHF 9,775

C. Outer: two-body, chased, the back with a scene inspired by the 17th century engraver Antoine Jacquard depicting the Judgement of Paris in a woodland setting, the bezels chased with foliage and masks. Inner: two-body, 'bassine', pierced and engraved with inhabited foliage, short pendant, loose ring. D. Silver, champlevé with Roman chapters, diamond-shaped half-hour divisions, concentric rotating silver alarm ring with Arabic numerals and blued-steel pointer indicating the hours, outer date rinwith a revolving gilt pointer mounted on a gilded ring between the hour chapter and date scale. Blued-steel alarm hand. M. 40.6 mm o, hinged gilt brass full plate with elaborate crested tulip pillars, two-train, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain steel three-arm balance, single-footed gilded cock with streamers at the neck, pierced and engraved with asymmetrical foliage, alarm with fixed barrel pierced and engraved with foliage, four-wheel steel train, striking on bell.Signed on the back plate.Diam. 57 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, page 120-121.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 4 - 15
Movement: 4 - 5 - 6*
Dial: 4 - 15 - 01

Notes

Viollier (The family)a well-known Genevese watchmaking family, the first members found in the Geneva archives are Jacques and Jean-Pierre, maitre horlogers during the mid 17th century.Bibliography: 'Dictionnaire des Horlogers Genevois', Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum Editions, Geneva, 1998.The Judgement of Paris.One of the most frequently depicted mythological subjects, it has its origin in the wedding feast of Thetis and Peleus. All the gods were invited to the feast, except Eris. Furious at being excluded, Eris came anyway, and tossed an apple to the guests, saying that it was for the most beautiful of them. The goddesses Juno, Minerva, and Venus each believed that the apple should be hers. Jupiter, refusing to take sides, decreed that the first mortal to arrive would be judge. This happened to be Pars, the son of the king of Troy. Each of the goddesses promised him a present: Minerva, wisdom, Juno, power, and Venus, the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris chose to give the apple to Venus, a choice which in time led to the Trojan War. and became one of the most frequently used mythological subjects in modern paintings.