Bovet Fleurier 19th Century Open Face Pocket Watch for the Chinese Market
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
19th century
According to Bonhams, this 19th-century open face pocket watch is attributed to Bovet Fleurier and was produced for the Chinese market. The movement side, visible beneath an inner glazed cover, exhibits richly engraved gilt bridges and balance cock alongside blued screws and jewelled pivots.
An index regulator scale is marked 'FAST' and 'SLOW', and a lower plate segment bears an engraved cartouche with Chinese characters. The interior of the opened hinged metallic case back reveals stamped maker or case marks including 'LF&Co' alongside numbered punch marks and an engraved decorative medallion.
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
- Chinese market open face pocket watch
- Period
- 19th century
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Maker attribution
- Bovet Fleurier
- Maker / attribution
- Bovet Fleurier
Design
- Visible features
- • Ornately engraved gilt bridges and balance cock typical of Chinese market calibres. • Regulator scale marked with 'FAST' and 'SLOW'. • Oval cartouche bearing Chinese characters visible on the movement plate. • Hinged outer case back interior bears stamps including 'LF&Co' and a circular decorative central cartouche.
- Case Configuration and Markings
- The open face pocket watch is fitted with a hinged metallic outer case back and an inner glazed protective cover over the movement. The interior of the hinged outer case back exhibits stamped impressions, including the maker or sponsor mark 'LF&Co' and a circular decorative central cartouche, alongside punch marks.
- Attribution and Destination Market
- The auction cataloguing identifies the lot as a 19th-century open face pocket watch attributed to Bovet Fleurier, stated to have been produced for the Chinese market. The sale occurred at Bonhams in Oxford. On the movement plate, visible beneath an inner glazed cover, an oval cartouche is engraved with Chinese characters, consistent with the reported destination market.
- Movement Architecture and Finishing
- The watch features ornately engraved gilt bridges and an engraved balance cock. The visible calibre architecture conforms to styles traditionally associated with Swiss watches produced for the Chinese trade. The index regulator scale is marked with the English terms 'FAST' and 'SLOW', and the movement is assembled with jewelled pivots and blued screws.
Identification
- Lot number
- 281
- 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: Dial side is not shown in the available photograph.
- Research required: Case metal composition is not specified in the auction record excerpt.