Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Jun 14, 2003

LOT 165

Romilly, à Paris, circa 1775. Fine and extremely rare 20K gold and 'Vernis Martin' watch.

CHF 4,000 - 6,000

EUR 2,700 - 4,000 / USD 3,000 - 4,700

Sold: CHF 2,990

C. Two-body, 'bassine fermée', the front with a portrait of a knight in armour wearing a green sash, a red curtain and a classical column behind him, the insides with a portraits of ladies in period dress, the back cover with a portrait of prince or king wearing ermine over armour and a coronet on his head.D. White enamel, radial Roman chapters, outer minute ring with five-minute Arabic numerals. Gold 'heart' hands. M. 31.2 mm ø, hinged, gilt brass full-plate, cylindrical pillars, fusee and chan, verge escapement, plain three-arm steel balance, blued-steel balance spring, continental cock pierced and engraved with four scrolls. Signed on the edge of the dial plate and on the movement. Diam. 38 mm.Published in the Sandberg book, pages 152-153


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3 - 58
Movement: 3 - 13*
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

Jean Romilly 1714-1796 An eminent French watchmaker, he originally came from Geneva and settled in Paris. He became Master in 1752, the Technical Director of the Royal Clock Manufactory from 1789-90, perfected the double virgule escapement and in 1758 presented to the Academy a year-going watch. He was an associate member of the Salon de la Correspondence, and as a friend of Jean-Jacques Rousseau was in contact with the Parisian intelligentsia. He published regularly.