Decorative Gold Quarter Repeater Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
early 19th century
This Swiss pocket watch, dated to the early 19th century, features a quarter-repeating mechanism. The open-face case is constructed from three-colored gold and ornamented with relief foliage and arabesque motifs.
A split ring in matching three-colored gold accompanies the watch. The gold dial is finished with engine-turned (guilloché) decoration and displays an offset chapter ring with Roman numerals. The blued steel hands are in the Breguet style. The bar-style movement is gilt-finished and wound by key. It incorporates a suspended going barrel, a three-arm brass balance, blued steel hairspring, and a steel cylinder escapement.
The movement is fitted with a polished steel cock for the balance, featuring a garnet endstone, and a blued steel regulator. The striking mechanism operates on two rectangular polished steel gongs and is activated by the pendant. The interior contains a plain gold cuvette with winding apertures.
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
- Quarter repeating pocket watch
- Hands style
- Breguet
- Case material
- Three-colored gold
- Balance jewels
- Garnet
- Maker location
- Switzerland
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Winding system
- Key-wind
- Dial decoration
- Engine turned
- Escapement type
- Steel cylinder
- Striking mechanism
- Quarter repeater
Design
- Case and Dial
- The pocket watch is housed in an open-face case rendered in three-colored gold. The exterior surfaces are adorned with relief carvings of botanical and arabesque patterns, providing a textured appearance. The piece includes a matching three-colored gold split ring for suspension. The dial is also composed of gold and exhibits precise engine-turned surface work. Roman numerals are arranged on an offset chapter ring, shifting the time display from the center. The blued steel hands follow the Breguet design, contrasting with the gold dial surface. Access to the movement is provided by an internal plain gold cuvette, which contains necessary apertures for winding.
- Visible features
- • Case decorated with three-colored gold relief foliage and flowers • Offset Roman numeral chapter ring on an engine-turned dial • Two-gong striking mechanism triggered via pendant • Key-wind movement with bar construction
- Movement and Mechanism
- The watch utilizes a bar-style movement architecture with a gilt finish. It is powered by a key-wind system utilizing a suspended going barrel. The technical assembly includes a simple three-arm brass balance, a blued steel hairspring, and a steel cylinder escapement. A polished steel cock supports the balance and contains a garnet endstone. The quarter-repeating function is controlled via the pendant. Actuating this mechanism causes the watch to strike on two rectangular polished steel gongs housed within the case. Adjustment is managed through a blued steel regulator located on the movement.
- Condition and Maintenance
- The provided documentation indicates that the current functional state of the watch, including the accuracy of timekeeping and the operational integrity of the striking gongs, is not verified. Due to the age of the instrument, collectors are advised to have a professional watchmaker inspect the cylinder escapement, the specific components of the quarter-repeating striking mechanism, and the condition of the hinges on the gold case prior to sustained use.
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 striking mechanism and timekeeping accuracy are not confirmed
- Research required: Long-term mechanical stability of cylinder escapement requires specialist assessment