Antique Ottoman Empire Billodes Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1900 - 1920
This antique pocket watch was manufactured under the Billodes trade name, associated with Georges Favre-Jacot, and retailed by K. Serkisoff & Co. in Constantinople for the Ottoman market.
The case is constructed from 0.800 silver and measures 50mm in diameter excluding the stem and loop. It features an open-hinged outer case with engraved detailing. The white dial displays Ottoman Turkish numerals, an outer minute scale, floral ornamentation beneath 12 o'clock, blued steel hands, and a subsidiary seconds dial at the 6 o'clock position. The source reports that the piece is powered by a Swiss key-wound movement signed twice with the Billodes name.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Key-winding pocket watch
- Diameter
- 50mm excluding stem and loop
- Retailer
- K. Serkisoff & Co., Constantinople
- Case Material
- 800 silver
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Movement Origin
- Swiss key-winding movement
- Maker / attribution
- Billodes (Georges Favre-Jacot)
Design
- Visible features
- • White enamel dial featuring Ottoman Turkish numerals, outer minute markers, and floral decoration below 12 o'clock. • Dial signed in red-brown lettering: 'K. SERKISOFF & Co CONSTANTINOPLE'. • Blued steel spade minute hand and subsidiary seconds hand visible on the dial. • Engraved silver bezel and open front cover hinge.
- Dial and Movement Details
- The white dial features Ottoman Turkish numerals, an outer minute track, a subsidiary seconds dial, and floral ornamentation below the 12 o'clock position. The hands are blued steel. The watch is powered by a Swiss key-winding movement, which is signed twice with the Billodes name.
- Retailer and Market Context
- The pocket watch is signed on the dial by K. Serkisoff & Co. of Constantinople, identified as the original retailer. The source states the watch was manufactured for the Turkish market. The movement is associated with the Billodes trade name, which the dealer notes was used by Georges Favre-Jacot, a manufacturer that later adopted the name Zenith in 1911.
- Case and Physical Specifications
- The watch is constructed from 0.800 silver. The case measures 50mm in diameter, excluding the stem and loop. The exterior front cover shows unevenness and traces of an original cartouche. The case features an open-hinged design with an additional inner hinged dust cover. The Billodes name is marked internally on both covers.
Identification
- Reference
- SA342295
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The movement and inner cuvette markings are not visible in the provided primary photograph.
- Research required: Manufacture date range (circa 1900–1920) is based on dealer cataloguing rather than hallmarked precision.