Bovet Fleurier Chinese Market Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
early 19th century
This early 19th-century Swiss pocket watch was manufactured specifically for the Chinese market. It features a gold, open-face case decorated with polychrome enamel and split pearls.
The case back displays a miniature painting of two white doves amidst flowers on a light blue ground, while the sides are adorned with champlevé enamel in red, white, green, and blue. The watch movement is of the bar type, constructed with polished steel components including the main plate, bridges, going barrel, and screws. It utilizes a duplex escapement with a steel escape wheel and jeweled locking roller, paired with a non-compensated three-arm balance and blued steel hairspring.
The Bovet Fleurier signature appears on the train bridge in light blue enamel. Key-wound via a hinged internal cuvette, the watch is designed with a center seconds function and blued steel hands over a white enamel dial with Roman numerals.
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
- Duplex pocket watch
- Maker
- Bovet Fleurier
- Origin
- Switzerland
- Period
- Early 19th century
- Escapement
- Duplex
- Movement Type
- Bar movement with polished steel components
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Winding mechanism
- Key-wound via glass and engraved cuvette
- Maker / attribution
- Bovet Fleurier
Design
- Visible features
- • Case back features a polychrome enamel painting of two white doves and floral motifs • Case bezel, pendant, and bow are decorated with split pearls • Movement bridges and plate are constructed from polished steel • Bovet Fleurier signature is rendered in light blue enamel on the train bridge
- Movement and Escapement
- The watch is powered by a large bar-type movement designed for center seconds. The movement construction is noted for its extensive use of polished steel, which is visible on the main plate, bridges, going barrel, and individual screws. The escapement is a duplex type featuring a steel escape wheel and a jeweled locking roller. The regulation system includes a non-compensated, three-arm balance with three blued steel weights and a blued steel hairspring. The endstone for the balance pivot is a garnet, secured within a polished steel setting.
- Case and External Decoration
- The watch is housed in an open-face gold case designed for the Chinese market. The exterior is highly decorated with a combination of champlevé enamel and polychrome miniature painting. The sides of the case feature a vibrant champlevé design incorporating red, white, green, and various shades of blue. The back of the watch is finished with a detailed enamel depiction of two white doves surrounded by floral elements, set against a light blue backdrop. The overall aesthetic is further enriched by the application of split pearls, which adorn the bezel, the oval-shaped pendant, and the bow.
- Signatures and Mechanical Features
- The watch bears the signature of Bovet Fleurier, which is applied in light blue enamel directly onto the steel train bridge. This signature style is echoed in the regulation markers found on the steel dovetailed tabs. The watch is wound and set using a key through a hinged glass cuvette that protects the movement and dial side. The dial is executed in white enamel, featuring Roman numerals and blued steel hands, with the movement supporting a center seconds hand complication.
Identification
- 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: Operational status of the movement is not reported by the source
- Research required: Exact dimensions of the case diameter and thickness are not provided