Exceptional Collectors Timepieces, Ho...

Geneva, May 15, 2005

LOT 105

?Charming Lady? Jaques Gradelle, Geneva, circa 1700. Fine and rare gilt brass "oignon" watch with painted on enamel portrait cock attributed to the Huaud workshop, and false pendulum.

CHF 4,000 - 6,000

EUR 2,500 - 4,000 / USD 3,400 - 5,000

Sold: CHF 5,290

C. Two-body, "oignon", bezel and back engraved with foliatescrolls. D. White enamel, large blue painted Roman numerals oncartouches raised in relief, outer minute track and Arabic five minute markers, inner quarter-hour ring. Piercedgilt metal hands. M. 44 mm, hinged, gilt full plate with divided Egyptian pillars, fusee and chain, verge escape-mentwith four-arm steel balance and short balance-spring, cock finely painted on enamel with a young lady ina low cut blue dress and red wrap, heart-shaped false pendulum, Arabic regulator dial.Signed on the movement.Diam. 58 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3 - 14 - 39
Movement: 3 - 21*
Dial: 3-25-40-01

Good

Chipped

HANDS Original

Notes

Watches of this type, with enamelled portraits of coquettish ladies either on the case or the balance cock are known to have been exported to China and are likely to have been made with the Chinese market in mind. Similar examples can be found in the Palace Museum in Peking and are illustrated in the museum catalogue pages 204 & 207. For an example of a similar watch with an enamelled portrait by the same hand. see: Antiquorum, October 13, 2001, Lot 454. Jaques Gradelle was a Master horologist who is recorded as working at the end of the 17th century. He took as apprentices Abraham Bordier in 1696, and Jaques Bordier in 1698. ?Dictionnaire des horlogers genevois?, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum Editions, 1998.