Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Nov 11, 2012

LOT 465

QUARTER REPEATING OIGNON WATCH - APOLLO French. Made circa 1705. Fine and rare, gilded, Louis XIV oignon watch with quarterrepeating and outer gilt-brass and fishskin protecting case.

C. Two-body, ?oignon?, the back chased and engraved with a central fi gure of Apollo with a lyre and seated on a cloud, formal border with pierced foliate and mask sound frets intersected by four profi le busts, the bezel decorated with stylized foliage, square hinge. D. Gilded with blue radial Roman numerals on white enamel cartouches, inner quarter-hour ring, outer engraved minute divisions and black Arabic fi ve-minute numerals on white enamel cartouches, center chased with inhabited foliage, winding aperture at 5 o?clock. Pierced gilt hands. M. 43.5 mm, matte gilt full plate, divided Egyptian pillars, fusee and chain, click and pawl set-up, verge escapement, three-arm steel balance, fl at balance spring, pierced and chased cock decorated with foliage and strapwork and a central shell, Tompion-type regulator with silver scale disc and silver pierced foliate foot, repeating with a single hammer on a bell in the back of the case activated by depressing the pendant. Diam. 58 mm. (excluding outer case)