Important Watches, Collectors’ Wristw...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Nov 14, 2004

LOT 48

?The Peony? Attributed to Piguet et Meylan, Geneva, made for the Chinese Emperor, circa 1820. Magnificent, extremely rare, large, 20K gold and enamel, pearl-set, half skeletonized, quarter-repeating peony form watch with ruby duplex escapement.

CHF 0 - 0

EUR 0 - 0 / USD 0 - 0

Sold: CHF 715,750

C. Triple-body, shaped, the back realistically formed and exquisitely painted as a peony with half pearl-set petals, the stem and leaves of green translucent enamel over engine-turning set with half pearls, the band with Nile green and blue champlevé enameled decoration, also set with half pearls, blue and pink champlevé enamel and pearl-set bezel, gold hinged and glazed cuvette. D. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, secured by a screw, outer minute track with Arabic 15 minutes, sunk subsidiary seconds. Blued-steel ?scotties? hands. M. 53 mm (23'''), partially skeletonized, polished and blued steel, hanging barrel, double wheel ruby duplex escapement, plain steel three-arm balance, flat balance spring, polished steel strike work visible on back plate, repeating on gongs through activating lever in the band.Dim. 92 x 65 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

Provenance. From the Chinese Emperor to his descendant Xiu Yu. The pendant piece to the present watch was sold by Antiquorum Geneva in April 1996, lot 267, and is now in a private Swiss museum. A pair of very similar watches, with simple pendant, was sold by Antiquorum, Hong Kong, in May 1980, lot 194.