Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Mar 17, 2013

LOT 362

VAUCHER ? ROSES & BUTTERFLY GOLD, PEARL & ENAMEL WATCH Vaucher, Fleurier, case No. 33. Made for the Chinese market, circa 1860. Very fine, unusual and very rare, 18K gold, painted on enamel and pearl-set center-seconds pocket watch with duplex escapement.

CHF 25,000 - 35,000

USD 27,000 - 38,000 / EUR 20,000 - 28,000

Sold: CHF 52,500

C. Three-body, the back very finely painted on enamel with a branch of pink, red, white and yellow roses and a white butterfly against a light blue enamel ground, the bezels, pendant, and bow set with split-pearls, the band and pendant decorated with light blue champlevé enamel to match the back. Gilt-rimmed glazed cuvette hinged to the movement ring. D. White enamel, radial narrow Roman numerals, outer minute/seconds divisions with fifteen-minute/ seconds Arabic numerals. Gold blued steel ovoid hands. M. 45 mm, gilt ?Chinese? caliber fully engraved, jewelled to the third wheel, standing barrel, duplex escapement, bimetallic compensation balance with screws, blued steel flat balance-spring, index regulator. Dial and movement signed. DIAM. 53 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

CHARLES-HENRI VAUCHER, FLEURIER. Not to be confused with Vaucher frères. The firm was established by Charles-Henri Vaucher in Fleurier, in what later became the ?Hotel de Ville?. In 1838 Vaucher sent a number of watches, some enameled, to Canton, attracting the attention of Louis Bovet, who mentioned them to his uncle Edouard. The company had a branch in London; later it moved to Trévise..
This extremely beautiful watch is in very good condition. The scene is very unusual for a Chinese market watch by the inclusion of a butterfly into the enamel flower panel which are usually restricted to flowers only. The branch of roses cascades horizontally across the panel resulting in an elegant and delicate enamel. This more ?free? style of painting is very uncommon amongst Chinese export watches which makes the effect all the more pleasing when compared to the highly stylized flower enamels normally encountered. It is possible that the artist took inspiration form ancient Chinese botanical watercolours which often include a butterfly alongside the flower specimen.