Enamelled gold pearl-set pocket watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1790-1800
This 18th-century pocket watch, dated 1790-1800, is attributed to the Genevan maker Jacques Coulin, with movement signature "Js. Coulin & Amy Bry a Geneve". The watch features a gold case decorated with enamel and accented by a border of pearls.
The movement features a balance cock with ornate filigree metalwork and a silvered regulator dial. The case back incorporates a scene depicting Venus and Adonis, based on a painting by Etienne Jeaurat. The piece is part of the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, having been bequeathed by Mr. John George Joicey. The construction reflects standard late-18th-century Swiss watchmaking practices, combining decorative casing with a functional movement assembly, and is marked with the accession number M.187-1919.
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
- 1790-1800
- Type
- Pocket watch
- Maker
- Coulin, Jacques (movement)
- Retailer
- Orazio Semeraro
- Materials
- enamelled gold set with pearls
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Place of origin
- Geneva
- Movement signature
- Js. Coulin & Amy Bry a Geneve
- Maker / attribution
- Coulin, Jacques
Design
- Case and Dial
- The watch features a gold case decorated with enamel. The exterior of the case incorporates a scene identified as Venus and Adonis, executed after a painting by Etienne Jeaurat. The perimeter of the watch face is set with a continuous row of pearls. The dial is plain, with black Roman numerals and a small winding aperture located between the center and the 3 o'clock position. The retailer's name, Orazio Semeraro, is printed across the center of the dial surface.
- Visible features
- • Case bezel set with a border of small pearls • Dial features the name 'Orazio Semeraro' • Balance cock shows elaborate foliate-style engraving • Movement bridge plate engraved with movement number 18781
- Movement and Signature
- The movement is signed on the main plate as 'Js. Coulin & Amy Bry a Geneve' and includes the movement serial number 18781. It features a large balance cock protected by a decorative pierced metal plate. A silvered regulation dial is positioned on the main plate, allowing for the adjustment of the rate. The movement also bears the signature of Orazio Semeraro, who is noted by the institution as a retailer of the object.
- Provenance and Identification
- The watch entered the Victoria and Albert Museum collection as part of the bequest of Mr. John George Joicey. It is assigned the accession number M.187-1919. The watch is attributed to manufacture in Geneva, Switzerland, between 1790 and 1800.
Identification
- Serial number
- 18781
- Accession number
- M.187-1919
- 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 exact role of Orazio Semeraro beyond being a retailer is not detailed in the source
- Research required: The source assumes the Venus and Adonis enamel scene is after the specific painting by Etienne Jeaurat