Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Jun 14, 2003

LOT 151

Piguet et Meylan, Geneva, No. 1185, case by Georges Reymond, made for the Chinese market circa 1815. Very fine and very rare 18K gold and enamel, musical box fitted with a watch, in the shape of an exotic butterfly.

C. Four-body, hinged wings, one revealing the watch, the other a compartment, finely painted on enamel in an exotic pattern, gold thorax and head over translucent dark blue enamel, white enamel edges, sides with dark blue translucent enamel over a flinquè pattern partially painted in black, the bottom in dark blue translucent enamel over wavy engine-turning painted in a black geometrical pattern. D. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute track. Blued steel unusual skeleton hands. M. Followig the shape of the case, brass, fixed barrel, cylinder escapement, three-arm plain brass balance with flat balance spring. Musical movement: fixed barrel, pinned disc with pins on both sides, 22 tuned teeth, eight-wheel train, the last pinion set in adjustable eccentric bushing as governor. Punched and numbered with the maker's mark on the movement, casemaker's mark.Dim. 72 x 43 x 16 mm.