Important Collectors Wristwatches, Po...

Geneva, Nov 14, 2009

LOT 347

Cloisonne Dial - Caravelle Eska Watch Co., Swiss, case No. 146853. Made circa 1955. Fine and rare, large, square, center-seconds, self-winding, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with cloisonné enamel dial depicting a galleon in full sail.

CHF 8,000 - 12,000

USD 8,000 - 12,000 / EUR 5,500 - 8,000

Sold: CHF 37,200

C. Two-body, by Ponti Gennari, polished and brushed, inclined bezel, fancy fluted lugs. D. Particularly heavy, polychrome cloisonné enamel on gold with counter enamel, No. 1, by Marguerite Koch, ordered from Stern Freres based on designs for square or round dials from 1950, depicting a galleon at sea, possibly representing Christopher Columbus?s Santa Maria, applied yellow gold pyramidal hour indexes and faceted baton quarterhour indexes. Yellow gold dauphine hands. M. 12???, copper-colored, within a metal ring, 17 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, self-compensating blued steel flat balance spring, shock absorber, index regulator. Case and movement signed. Dial marked by the artist on the reverse, under the counter enamel. Diam. 31.5 mm. Thickness 12 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-28-01

Good

Replacements

HANDS Original

Notes

Registered in the Stern Frères archive ledgers under No. 82a, with the unusual specification of 60/00 thickness, this appears to be the only such square dial made for Eska. Other similar dials, most of them round, were made for Vacheron & Constantin and IWC. It is recorded that this dial was made by Mlle Marguerite Koch, and that she was paid 85 Francs for it. The dial was sold to Mr. Kocher, owner of Eska, for 180 Francs.
Marguerite Koch An enamel artist who specialized in the cloisonné technique, whe was one of Stern Frères' favorite enamelers. She made caravelle and coat-of-arms dials for Rolex and Vacheron Constantin, as well as the famous exotic Gauguin dials for Patek Philippe. She worked for Stern Frères from the late 40's to the 1960's.
Eska Watch Co, Grenchen Was founded by Sylvan Kocher in 1918. The Eska name is the phonetic abbreviation for S.K., Kocher's initials. In the 1950's the company was iregistered as S. & E. Kocher. In the Stern Frères archives, all deliveries to Eska were marked "Kocher".