Geneva, Nov 05, 2023

LOT 314

MARC GRANGIER, SWITZERLAND, PRE-BALANCE SPRING ENAMEL, SILVER

CHF 30,000 - 60,000

EUR 31,600 - 64,000 / USD 33,300 - 67,000 / HKD 260,000 - 520,000

TO BE SOLD WITHOUT RESERVE

Sold: CHF 27,500

A very fine and rare silver and enamel, manual wind diamond-set, pre-balance spring watch. Bassine shaped with split-bezel and loose-ring pendant, the back of turquoise blue enamel with a wreath of black and white foliage enamelled en pate, the central floral motif with high relief, pink and blue enamel petals, enriched with nine table cut diamonds, the inside of the back decorated en suite and centred with a black painted rosette. White dial with chapter ring enamelled on copper with Roman numerals and half-hour divisions, the centre of turquoise blue enamel painted with a pink blak and white floral motif. Single blued steel hand.


Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3-32

Good

Slightly restored

Movement: 3-6-8*

Good

Slightly oxidized

Slightly scratched

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Brand Marc Grangier, Switzerland

Year Circa 1660

Diameter 40 mm.

Caliber 14''', hinged gilt brass full plate with turned baluster pillars, fusee with gut-line, three wheel train with verge escapement, plain two-arm steel balance without spring, irregular oval form cock pierced and engraved with foliage, secured by a screw. Worm-and-wheel set-up and silver regulator disk.

Signature Movement

Notes

Previously in the Hof Collection, this watch is described and illustrated by E. Jaquet and A. Chapuis in Histoire et Technique de la Montre Suisse, 1945, pp. 30-31, pl. 19, as a good example of an early enamelled watch illustrating the close link between the techniques in use both in Geneva and Châtellerault.Marc GrangierAppears to have been active in Châtellerault where in 1629 the son of Martin Duboule was sent to be trained by him. In 1656 Grangier's son reciprocally came to Geneva to be apprenticed in Duboule's workshop. Therefore, first adopted in Limoges and Châtellerault, the technique of enamel decoration en pate, was also used in Geneva by Jean-Baptiste Duboule and Pierre Huaud, l'Ainé, who was also originally from Châtellerault.