Gold and Enamel Beetle Form Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
late 19th century
This Swiss form watch is designed as a realistic beetle-shaped brooch and pendant. Dating to the late 19th century, the gold-cased watch functions through a keywind mechanism.
The beetle's wings are decorated with translucent red enamel over a guilloché ground, inlaid with rows of diamonds and pearls. The head features champlevé black enamel and green stone-set eyes, while the underside is engraved to represent the insect's legs. A gold oval loop at the head allows for suspension. The watch dial is made of white enamel with Roman numerals for hours and Arabic numerals for minute intervals, featuring blued steel hands.
The heart-shaped movement is gold-plated and equipped with a suspended going barrel, a three-arm gold-plated balance with a blued steel hairspring, and a polished steel cylinder escapement. The winding and time-setting are performed through an oval gold cuvette.
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
- late 19th century
- Type
- Form watch
- Winding
- Keywind
- Escapement
- Cylinder
- Case material
- Gold
- Dial material
- White enamel
- Movement form
- Heart-shaped
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
Design
- Visible features
- • Wings are hinged to reveal the watch face upon pressing a button at the base. • Dial features black Roman hour markers and smaller Arabic minute markers. • Beetle head is finished with black champlevé enamel and green stone eyes. • Movement is shaped to fit the heart-like profile of the beetle's body.
- Dial and Timekeeping
- The time is indicated on a white enamel dial concealed by the beetle's wings. The display features Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals at the perimeter for the minutes. The watch uses blued steel hands to display the time. The movement is shaped to match the beetle's body, characterized by a heart-like form. It is a gold-plated movement that requires a key for winding and adjustment. This process is accessed via a small oval gold cuvette on the movement.
- Movement Specifications
- The movement is a gold-plated bar type, designed specifically to fit the form of the beetle casing. It incorporates a suspended going barrel and a three-arm gold-plated balance wheel. The hairspring is made of blued steel. The escapement is of the cylinder type, constructed from polished steel and paired with a steel escape wheel. The functional status of this mechanical system is not reported by the auction description.
- Case and External Design
- The watch is constructed as a decorative form watch shaped like a beetle. The case is gold, with wings that open when a button at the end of the body is pressed. These wings are embellished with translucent red enamel over a guilloché engine-turned pattern and are further decorated with inlaid diamonds and pearls. The head of the beetle incorporates champlevé black enamel and two green stones for the eyes. A gold loop is provided at the head to allow the object to be worn as a pendant or brooch. The underside of the watch body is engraved to depict the insect's legs, which are attached to the hinged back cover. The design aims for a realistic representation of the insect while concealing the clockwork mechanism beneath the protective wings.
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: The source does not specify the current operational state of the movement.
- Research required: The completeness of the diamond and pearl setting remains unverified in the text.