Berthoud à Paris, Swiss, circa 1815. Fine and rare 18 ct. gold and enamel quarterrepeating musical watch with the portrait of Napoleon in the back by Terroux. | Important Collectors Wristwatches, Pocket Watches, Clock | Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, 20th October 1991

Important Collectors Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 20, 1991

LOT 261

Berthoud à Paris, Swiss, circa 1815. Fine and rare 18 ct. gold and enamel quarterrepeating musical watch with the portrait of Napoleon in the back by Terroux.

CHF 20,000 - 25,000

C. Four body "Empire", with reeded band, bezels decorated with blue enamel and paillons (front with some suface chips), the back with half - length portrait of Napoleon as Emperor. Gold cuvette. D. Gold engine-turned with Roman numerals. Blued-steel Breguet hands. M. Frosted and gilt, bridge caliber, free standing barrels inverted cylinder escapement, plain three arm balance, flat balance spring. Repeating on gongs with push-pendant. Disc musical train with 23 blades, playing on the hour. Signed on the cuvette. Diam. 58 nun.

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Another musical watch, with the portrait of Napoleon by the same artist, is signed: "Breguet à Paris". Amongst the foremost enamellers working in Geneva was Elisabeth Terroux,but her recorded working dates of 1759 to 1796 would appear to pre-date this watch. Clearly the enamel was painted in Geneva, and it may be that her atelier continued to sign ,but without initiais, after 1796.