Important Collector's, Watches, Wrist...
Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 15, 2000
The Spring.Attributed to Piguet et Meylan à Genève, made for the Chinese market, circa 1820.Magnificent and rare 18K gold and enameled, quarter repeating musical triple-train automaton watch with two musicians, set with half-pearls and turquoises.
C. Four-body, 'Empire', the back with a very fine enamel portrait of a young lady, representing the Spring, depicted with spring flowers within a round frame of alternating segments with graduating half-pearls and translucent dark blue enamel over engine-turning, the bezels entirely set with half-pearls, the band set with half-pearls alternating with a cluster of four turquoises. Pendant and bow set with half-pearls, azure enamel underneath the bow. D. Eccentric, off-white enamel over gold, Romanumerals, outer minute ring within an enamel countryside scene showing a castle with the sea in the background and a classical urn in a corner of the castle wall. Multicolored gold figures of a boy playing a triangle and a girl playing the hurdy-gurdy. The players? arms are pivoted and are driven by the musical movement, giving the illusion that the music comes from the small triangle and the hurdy-gurdy. M. 20???, fire-gilded, cylinder escapement, gold balance, blued-steel flat balance spring,all three trains run from motor barrels, the music disc with pins on both sides working on 22 vibrating blades, the automaton is driven by the musical movement and is controled by a cam mounted in the center of the music disk, all-or-nothing repeating train, the seconds hand is mounted directly on the 4th wheel, the music plays every hour on the hour or on demand, repeating on gongs when the pendant is pressed.Diam. 55 mm.
Grading System | |
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Grade: |
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Case: 3 |
Good |
Movement: 4* |
Fair Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 3 - 01 |