Important Wristwatches, Watches & Clocks

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 17, 1992

LOT 480

James Foggo, No. 528, Paris circa 1810. Extremely rare and unusual, 18 ct. gold, quarter repeating watch with special escapement.

CHF 12,000 - 14,000

C. Four body, bassine et filets, bearing the London hallmarks for 1871, with reeded band, the polished back with an engraved cartouche. Gold cuvette. D. White enamel with Roman numerals and subsidiary seconds (hair line). Gold pear hands. M. gilt brass, drawn from the Lepine caliber with free standing barrel, 19 jewels, Robin detent-lever escapement, Louis Berthoud's type three armed compensation balance, blued steel flat balance spring. Repeating on gongs with push pendant. Signed on the pendant. In very good condition. Diam. 62 mm.


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Notes

James Foggo is recorded by Baillie as working in London in 1799 and circa 1820 and known to produce watches in the style of Breguet is also recorded by Tardy as working in Paris in 1812. The movement of this watch is very similar to that, made in the first years of the XIX century by Rieussec and by Lallemand (see lot No. 328 in the present catalogue). It is possible that the watch was completed in Paris as a masterpiece and that Foggo took it with him when hereturned to England. Presumably thanks to its importance, the watch was there upgraded with a new dial and the case rebuilt, the band and the push pendant may have been kept from the original French case