Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Oct 13, 2001

LOT 451

Louis Faure, Naples, Italy, circa 1700.Very rare gilt metal pair-cased alarm watch with single-hand.

C. Outer: two-body, pierced and engraved with foliage, the back with four vignettes depicting a bird, a dolphin, a hare and a lion, the bezel with four vignettes showing rural scenes. Inner: two-body, "bassine", the band pierced and engraved with inhabited foliage, polished back with two winding apertures. D. Gilt metal, champlevé Roman numerals on matte ground, inner quarter-hour ring, central alarm ring with Arabic chapter and blued steel "tulip" pointer indicating the hours. Blued steel "arro" hand for setting the alarm. M. 42 mm, gilt brass, gilt full plate with vase pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain steel balance with short 3-coil balance-spring, English style cock with long streamers and straight foot, Tompion's rack and pinion regulator, steel alarm train with pierced and engraved fixed barrel, bell alarm by a single hammer.Signed on the movement.Diam. 62 mm (outer case)