Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 337

Children at a lake Unsigned, Swiss, circa 1800.Very fine 18K gold watch with painted on enamel dial and Gregorian and Revolutionary date.

CHF 5,000 - 7,000

EUR 3,500 - 4,800 / USD 3,700 - 5,200

Sold: CHF 8,625

C.Two-body, "Directoire", polished. D. Finely painted on enamel with two children by a lake, one holding a dog, the other letting a bird out of a cage, with mountains in the background. Small Arabic hour chapter set at the lower part with outer minute divisions, two date subdials at the top, one with Gregorian 31 days, the other with Revolutionary 30 days divided into three 10-day decades. Gold skeletonized "spade" hands. M. 48 mm. (21'''), hinged, frosted gilt full-plate with cylindrical pillas, fusee and chain, verge escapement brass balance with flat balance spring, continental cock.Diam. 58 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3
Movement: 3*
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

After the French Revolution a new calendar was adopted, and the time measurement system was completely changed. The revolutionary year was divided into 12 equal months of 30 days each and an additional 5-day (6-day in a leap year) holiday month; each month was divided into three decades of 10 days. The 24-hour day was divided into ten hours, each having 100 minutes, each minute subdivided into 100 seconds. The law was introduced on 24 November, 1793 and the provision for decimal hours was suspeded on 7 April 1795. Hence we know that the present watch must have been made after that date.