Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Oct 13, 2001

LOT 596

Fr(ançois) Achard à Genève, circa 1795.Very fine and unusual 18K gold and enamel quarter-repeating watch with automaton jacks and subsidiaryautomaton scene.

CHF 25,000 - 30,000

USD 15,000 - 18,200

C. Double-body, "Directoire", polished back and bezels, fluted band, hinged gilt brass cuvette. D. Small, white enamel with Breguet numerals, outer minute divisions. Blued steel "spade" hands. The gold enameled dial plate painted with a rural landscape with two applied cherubs above the dial striking the hours and quarters on two bells. Also driven by the repeating train by means of cams and levers, another automaton scene in three-colored gold, applied below the dial, shows a scene with a flowig river, an automaton fisherman, and a revolving water mill. M. Gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance-spring, gilt brass continental cock with polished steel end-piece.Signed on the back plate.Diam. 56 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3 - 6
Movement: 3 - 5 - 6*
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

This watch is published in the Ruscitti book, as no. 59.Jean-François Achardthe son of François, was a master watchmaker. Originally from the Dauphiné region of France, he settled in Geneva and was named "habitant" in 1773. He was associated with his brother George until 1796, and is recorded as having made gold and enamel watches with automata, as well as watches with quarter repetition on bells.Dictionnaire des horlogers genevois, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum Editions, Geneva, 1998.