The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 94

The PeacockLouis Elisée Piguet, enamel by Louis Rosselet, circa 1890.Very fine and rare 18 ct. gold and enamel key-wound, double-train, grande sonnerie minute repeating clock watch with centre seconds, made for the Chinese market.

CHF 25,000 - 30,000

USD 15,000 - 18,000

Sold: CHF 65,550

C. Four-body, solid, 'bassine et filets', back cover with a peacock standing on a balustrade in a garden setting beside an expanse of water with an Oriental city on the far bank, band with imperial blue translucent enamel over flinqué ground, bezels set with half- pearls, hinged gold cuvette. D. White enamel, Roman chapters, outer minute ring. Gold 'trèfle' hands. M. 19''', gilt brass, 30 jewels, straight-line counterpoised lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, Breguet balance sring, striking on two gongs by a pushpiece on the case band.Signed on the pillar plate under the dial L. E. Piguet.Diam. 53 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, page 346-347.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3 - 5 - 6*
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

The ebauche incorporates both keyless and key winding systems. The Chinese preferred key winding, which they considered more reliable, therefore the keyless winding system in this watch was abandoned in favour of key winding.Louis Elisée Piguet (1836 - ca 1915)from Le Brassus, made a number of exceptional timepieces, such as a grande sonnerie with seven hammers, and some of the most complicated watches sold in Glashütte employed L. E. Piguet movements. Patek Philippe, Vacheron Lot Constantin, Breguet, to mention a few, employed his movements on special occasions. He improved chronographs, invented the fixed star repeating mechanism, and improved the keyless winding system. He was one of the most talented and prolific watchmakers from the end of the 19h century, very respected by his peers, and chosen to serve on a number of horological committees.A watch with a similar painted enamel scene is published in La Montre Chinoise by Alfred Chapuis, plate after p. 212.See also: Horlogers et montres exceptionnels de la Vallée de Joux, Daniel Aubert, Neuchâtel, 1997.Rosselet LouisFor a biography, see lot 93.