Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Mar 27, 2011

LOT 436

The Faberge Musical Egg Clock Faberge, workmaster Victor Mayer, No. 2/12, Ref. F-1829. Made in a limited edition of 12 pieces for Baselworld in 2001. Sold in March 2003. Extremely fine and exquisite, 8-day going, musical, 18K yellow gold, black onyx, rock crystal, rose quartz and enamel jump-hour table clock set with 492 white diamonds totalling 11.48 carats and 8 blue sapphires with zodiac indication and day and night indication, playing Claude Debussy?s "Clair de Lune" at will. Accompanied by the original fitted box, Certificate of Authenticity, two keys and setting pin.

CHF 85,000 - 110,000

USD 85,000 - 110,000 / EUR 65,000 - 85,000

Sold: CHF 98,500

C. Egg-shaped, the lower half of the gold egg overlaid with opalescent blue guilloche enamel, the upper half made of carved rock crystal, band set with white diamonds, lobed rose quartz stem with white diamond-set yellow gold banding, square black onyx base within a yellow gold framework housing the clock and musical movements, each of the four sides with an oval opalescent blue guilloche enamel panel set with a central brilliant-cut diamond, the front panel hinged to conceal the winding aperture, the panel to the right activating the music by depressing the diamond. D. Yellow gold and white champleve enamel revolving chapter ring for the jump hours viewed through a rock crystal glazed aperture, the gold minutes ring contained in the rock crystal dome, Arabic blue champleve enamel 15-minute numerals, engraved dot minute divisions, the five-minute divisions set with round blue sapphires, royal blue translucent guilloche enamel on gold ring for the signs of the zodiac above with stellar center, black onyx and white diamond-set revolving sphere above for the day and night indication. Yellow gold and diamond-set pointer for the hours, gold minute hand. M. Cal. 12, made by Paul Gerber, Zürich, 15 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, Breguet balance spring, micrometer regulator. The musical movement with pinned barrel playing with tuned steel comb. Case signed and punched with workmaster?s mark. Dim. 26 x 11.2 x 11.2 cm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 1

As new
Movement: 1

As new
Dial: 1-01

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

This clock is made in the Faberge tradition, in solid 18K yellow gold, the body of the egg is enameled with opalescent guilloche in the style of Peter Carl Fabergé?s original creations and is lavishly set with 492 diamonds. The hardstone components are fine examples of the lapidary's work. The dome of the egg is carved from a single piece of transparent rock crystal ? extremely difficult to achieve even today, for the crystal is notoriously hard to carve and to have optical perfection the rough material must have no major inclusions. Officially these clocks were made in a limited edition of 12 pieces, however it is thought that far fewer were actually created. In 1989, the Fabergé Co., New York, appointed the German manufacturer Victor Meyer as the exclusive workmaster to carry on the legacy of Peter Carl Fabergé.