Notes
DIAM. 55 mm.
Provenance: Neumarkt, June 1st, 1972.
This watch repeats the hours and quarters with the sound of a barking dog; the rarest
form of repeating. There are only approximately 20 "barking dog" watches known. There
is a controversy as to whether the company employed only one series of consecutive
numbers or used separate series for certain types of watches. Although the numbers of
Piguet & Meylan watches go up to the 7000's, the barking dog numbers are lower than
300. It is possible that the company started its production with barking dog models, then
proceeded to other ones, but continued the production of the barking dog watches with
the first series numbers. The present lot was previously sold by Neumarkt on June 1, 1972.
Piguet & Meylan. IIsaac Daniel Piguet and Philippe Samuel Meylan were in partnership
from 1811 to 1828 and just before 1828 their premises were 45, rue Rousseau in Geneva.
Isaac Daniel Piguet Born in 1775 in Le Chenit in the Vallée de Joux, Isaac Daniel Piguet
was the son of Pierre Moïse Piguet and Elisabeth Nicole. He married Jeanne Françoise
Capt around 1795, and around 1800 settled in Geneva with his family. Isaac Daniel
Piguet went into business with Henry Daniel Capt, his brother-in-law, on February 10,
1802. The association between Piguet & Meylan came to an end in 1828. Piguet and
his son David Auguste established a new company, Piguet père & fils, located no 69 rue
Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Isaac Daniel Piguet died in Geneva, on January 20, 1841, at the
age of 66. Philippe Samuel Meylan Born February 15, 1772, in Bas-du-Chenit, died in
1845. At 20 years old he came to Geneva where he worked for the Godemar Frères in
quality of Master worker. Afterwards he went back to Brassus where he founded a little
factory in 1811. He then returned to Geneva where he definitively settled. He met another
watchmaker from his own village, Isaac Piguet, with whom he entered into partnership,
founding the Piguet & Meylan firm, which would last from 1811 to 1828. It specialised in
minute cadratures, musical watches, skeleton or automaton watches, mechanical animals
and figures, he is also credited with the invention of the bagnolet caliber.
Isaac Daniel Piguet
Born in 1775 in Le Chenit in the Vallée de Joux, Isaac Daniel Piguet was the son of Pierre
Moïse Piguet and Elisabeth Nicole. He married Jeanne Françoise Capt around 1795, and
around 1800 settled in Geneva with his family. Isaac Daniel Piguet went into business with
Henry Daniel Capt, his brother-in-law, on February 10, 1802. The association between
Piguet & Meylan came to an end in 1828. Piguet and his son David Auguste established a
new company, Piguet père & fils, located at No. 69 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He died in
Geneva, on January 20, 1841.
Philippe Samuel Meylan
Born February 15, 1772, in Bas-du-Chenit, died in 1845. At 20 years old he came to
Geneva where he worked for the Godemar Frères in quality of Master worker. Afterwards
he went back to Brassus where he founded a little factory in 1811. He then returned to
Geneva where he definitively settled. He met another watchmaker from his own village,
Isaac Piguet, with whom he entered into partnership, founding the Piguet & Meylan firm,
which would last from 1811 to 1828. It specialised in minute cadratures, musical watches,
skeleton or automaton watches, mechanical animals and figures, he is also credited with
the invention of the bagnolet caliber