Ernest Guinand Tourbillon Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1870
This 18K gold pocket watch, identified as number 3321, dates to circa 1870 and was produced for the Indian market by the Swiss horologist Ernest Guinand of Le Locle.
The object features a five-body 'Bassine et filets' case that is engine-turned and florally engraved, paired with a silvered engine-turned dial decorated with applied varicolored gold foliage. The watch houses a frosted gilt movement with a one-minute tourbillon regulator; a distinctive feature is the top bridge, which is shaped to form the letter 'G' as a maker's mark. The mechanism utilizes 15 jewels, a polished steel tourbillon carriage, and a straight-line lever escapement.
The watch is accompanied by a leather-covered fitted box and a crank lever key.
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
- Tourbillon pocket watch
- Maker
- Ernest Guinand
- Case type
- Five-body
- Jewel count
- 15
- Serial number
- 3321
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Total diameter
- 53 mm
- Escapement type
- Straight-line lever escapement
- Signature detail
- Bridge shaped as G
- Movement diameter
- 43 mm
- Maker / attribution
- Ernest Guinand
Design
- Visible features
- • The movement bridge forms the letter G • The case features elaborate floral engraving • The dial includes varicolored gold floral application • A leather-covered fitted box is included
- Case and Dial Design
- The watch is housed in a five-body gold case described as 'Bassine et filets' style. The exterior surfaces are decorated with engine-turned patterns supplemented by floral engraving. A gold hinged cuvette protects the internal movement structure. The silvered dial displays engine-turned textures, with additional decorative elements provided by applied varicolored gold foliage. The time is indicated by radial Roman numerals and gilt Louis XV hands. A subsidiary seconds dial is positioned at the lower half of the dial face.
- Maker and Provenance
- According to the auction notes, Guinand rarely signed his work directly, as watches were often sold to établisseurs who then applied their own signatures. This specific example is considered notable for its rare 'G'-shaped bridge signature.
- Movement and Regulation
- The movement is constructed on a 43 mm frosted gilt caliber, which serves as the foundation for a one-minute tourbillon regulator. The tourbillon carriage is crafted from polished steel and integrates a straight-line lever escapement, which the source notes is a rare configuration for this maker. Technical components include a cut-bimetallic compensation balance and a Breguet balance spring. The movement architecture is defined by a distinctively shaped top bridge, which functions as a maker's mark by forming the letter 'G' for Guinand. This component is numbered on the pillar plate.
Identification
- Serial number
- 3321
- 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 identification of the 'WR' case maker remains unknown
- Research required: The rarity claim of being 'one of only two' is based on identified sales known to the auction house