Constant Girard 18K Yellow Gold and Enamel Hunting-Case Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1852-1856
This 18K yellow gold presentation pocket watch, numbered 12 241, is attributed to Constant Girard of La Chaux-de-Fonds, dating to approximately 1852-1856. Retailed by Charles Suchy & Fils in Prague, it was produced for the Central-Eastern-European market.
The five-body 'bassine et filets' case features intricate decoration: the hinged cover displays a multicoloured enamelled coat of arms under a Count crown, surrounded by garland foliage executed in ors paillonnés and ramolayé techniques. The reverse depicts an enamelled floral bouquet set against a lake landscape, framed by champlevé and taille-douce engraving. The interior contains a hinged gold cuvette signed by the retailer.
The movement, potentially utilizing an ébauche by Antoine LeCoultre, is a frosted gilt brass bridge calibre with nineteen jewels, a straight-line lever escapement, and an early keyless-winding system. The white enamel dial features black Roman numerals and blued steel hands.
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
- Date
- circa 1852-1856
- Type
- Hunting-case pocket watch
- Maker
- Constant Girard
- Diameter
- 50 mm
- Retailer
- Charles Suchy & Fils
- Escapement
- Straight-line equilibrated lever
- Case Material
- 18K yellow gold
- Movement Type
- Bridge calibre
- Serial Number
- 12 241
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Maker / attribution
- Constant Girard
Design
- Visible features
- • Case features a multicoloured enamel bouquet and lake landscape • Dial displays black painted Roman numerals with blued steel hands • Features early keyless-winding and setting mechanism
- Dial and Provenance
- The dial is made of white enamel and features black painted radial Roman numerals, complemented by blued steel 'Fantasy' hands. The watch was designed for the Central-Eastern-European market during the era of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The manufacturer is identified as Constant Girard, who later established the Girard-Perregaux House. Records indicate the watch is numbered on the plate under the dial. The auction house classifies the condition as 'Very good' for the dial, though the movement is noted as requiring repair. The enamel work is associated with the workshop of Gaspard Lamunière, a noted Genevan painter of the era.
- Movement and Construction
- The movement is a frosted gilt brass bridge calibre equipped with nineteen rubies, a straight-line equilibrated lever escapement, and a compensated balance with gold poising screws. It features a blued steel Breguet hairspring, a polished steel endplate, and an index regulator. The watch incorporates an early keyless-winding and setting system, eliminating the need for a separate key. It is potentially the work of Antoine LeCoultre, whose 'à bascule' winding system was a prominent innovation of the period. The specific system implemented here is described as a development of LeCoultre’s earlier mechanisms.
- Case and Enamel Decoration
- The watch is housed in a five-body, round-shaped 'bassine et filets' 18K yellow gold case featuring a reeded case-band. The hinged front cover is decorated with a multicoloured enamelled coat of arms depicting a Central-Eastern European family crest on an ermine mantling, supported by two lions and surmounted by a Count crown. This assembly is set against a polished background and surrounded by a garland of foliage executed in ors paillonnés and ramolayé techniques, with sous fondant details. The hinged case-back features a multicoloured enamelled bouquet of flowers presented before a lake landscape. This scene is contained within a frame of white and light blue champlevé enamel and taille-douce engraving on a polished background, matching the garland motif found on the front cover. The hinged gold cuvette is engraved with the retailer's name, 'Chs Suchy & Fils / Prague'.
Identification
- Serial number
- 12 241
- 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: Movement ébauche is only probably attributed to Antoine LeCoultre
- Research required: Enamel scene is only attributed to the workshop of Gaspard Lamunière