Gold and Enamel Chatelaine Repeating Virgule Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1790
This Swiss pocket watch is accompanied by a matching chatelaine, dating to approximately 1790. The watch features a consular gold case decorated with translucent dark blue enamel over a guilloché ground, edged with a continuous row of large half-pearls.
The reverse is embellished with white metal floral motifs set with diamonds. Its white enamel dial displays Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the quarter-hour intervals, with a central winding aperture. The movement is a full-plate gilt construction with a fusee system and a rare virgule escapement, featuring a three-arm gilt balance with a blued steel hairspring. The piece functions as a dumb quarter-repeater, activated via a pendant push.
The set includes a coordinating gold and champlevé enamel chatelaine, complete with pearl tassels and an original gold and enamel winding key, all housed in a Moroccan leather-covered case.
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 1790
- Type
- Minute repeating pocket watch
- Case type
- Consular gold case
- Components
- Includes a matching chatelaine and winding key
- Escapement
- Virgule escapement
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Case Decoration
- Dark blue enamel over guilloché with pearls and diamonds
- Repeating Mechanism
- Dumb quarter repeater
Design
- Visible features
- • The watch dial includes an off-center winding hole for key-winding • The watch pendant features a push-piece for activating the repeating mechanism • The chatelaine assembly incorporates rectangular enamel links and pearl-strand tassels
- Case and Dial Design
- The pocket watch is housed in a consular gold case, characterized by a refined finish. The external surface is rendered in translucent dark blue enamel applied over a machine-turned (guilloché) base, providing a textured appearance. The perimeter of both the front and back bezels is set with a prominent row of large half-pearls. On the reverse, the design is further enhanced by applied white metal floral ornamentation set with diamonds. The dial is composed of white enamel and features a dual-numbering system. Large Roman numerals indicate the quarter-hour positions, while Arabic numerals represent the intervals between them. A prominent winding aperture is located directly on the dial. The watch is equipped with decorative pierced gold hands, which provide a contrast against the white enamel ground.
- Movement and Escapement
- The movement is constructed with a full-plate gilt layout and incorporates a fusee and chain mechanism. A defining feature is the rare virgule escapement, named for the comma-like shape of the escape wheel teeth and pallet. The balance is a three-arm gilt design paired with a blued steel hairspring, while the balance bridge is intricately finished with cut and engraved patterns, topped with a garnet endstone. The watch includes a dumb quarter-repeater mechanism, which operates by striking two blocks within the interior of the case, producing a tactile signal rather than a traditional acoustic chime. The repeating function is triggered by a gold pendant push-piece located at the top of the watch.
- Chatelaine and Presentation
- The set is completed by a matching chatelaine, a decorative accessory designed for attachment to clothing. It features a gilt clip adorned with champlevé enamel, complemented by double-sided square links decorated in dark blue and white enamel. The chatelaine is finished with graduated pearl tassels and additional oval and rectangular enamel-set plaques. An original oval-shaped winding key, finished in gold and enamel, is attached to the chatelaine. The entire ensemble is housed in a purpose-built box, which features a distinctive form and is covered in red Moroccan leather (tima-j), reflecting the presentation standards for high-status horological objects of the period.
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 exact identity of the watchmaker remains unverified by the provided source
- Research required: The specific historical ownership or provenance of the object is not documented in the source