Isaac Phelippon Enamel Pendant Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1670 (case); circa 1780 (movement)
This pendant watch comprises an early painted enamel gold case, estimated at circa 1670 and possibly of Augsburg origin, housing a later English movement signed by Isaac Phelippon of London, numbered 350 and dated to circa 1780.
The 48.5 mm watch features a two-body 'bassine' case with a hinged gold bezel and detailed enamel work depicting the Rest on the Flight into Egypt. The interior of the case is decorated with a rural landscape. The 42 mm frosted gilt full-plate movement is powered by a fusee and chain, regulated by a verge escapement with a plain steel balance and flat balance spring. The dial is white enamel with Roman numerals and an outer five-minute Arabic numeral track.
The watch underwent a transformation where the original movement was replaced in the 18th century, a practice employed to incorporate updated horological technology into aesthetically significant or precious cases.
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
- Pendant watch
- Case maker
- Possibly Augsburg
- Escapement
- Verge
- Dial details
- White enamel with Roman and Arabic numerals
- Serial number
- 350
- Movement maker
- Isaac Phelippon
- Place recorded
- England (movement); possibly Augsburg (case)
- Case dimensions
- 48.5 mm
- Movement materials
- Frosted gilt
- Maker / attribution
- Isaac Phelippon
- Movement dimensions
- 42 mm
Design
- Visible features
- • Case back features a scene of the Madonna and Child, a donkey, and angels • Inner case surface decorated with a painted rural landscape • Dial includes a winding aperture at the 4 o'clock position • Case features a hinged gold bezel decorated with foliage
- Movement and Dial
- The 42 mm movement is a frosted gilt full-plate design featuring cylindrical pillars, a fusee and chain transmission, and a verge escapement. It is equipped with a plain steel balance, a flat balance spring, and a single-footed cock. The watch is wound via an aperture positioned at 4 o'clock on the dial. The white enamel dial displays radial Roman numerals for the hours and an outer track with five-minute Arabic numerals. The movement is signed and numbered 350, with its origin attributed to London around 1780. The replacement of the original movement with this later version reflects 18th-century efforts to upgrade existing, expensive watch cases with current technological advancements.
- Reported Condition
- The auction description reports the object as being in good overall condition. According to the stated grading system, the case is assigned a grade of 'Good' while the movement is described as 'Good' and 'Later original'. The dial is also noted as 'Good', although the report specifies that the hands have been replaced and the watch has undergone restoration.
- Case and Enamel Decoration
- The two-body 'bassine' case is constructed from 20K gold and features a rounded edge. The exterior is decorated with finely painted enamel illustrating a scene from the Rest on the Flight into Egypt, which includes the Madonna and Child, a donkey, a goat, and two angels. The interior of the case is painted with a rural landscape. The enamel technique employed on the case is associated with the German school, particularly the work attributed to Augsburg. The layout of the enamel scene is considered unconventional for the late 17th century due to the lack of a ring separating the back from the band, a feature commonly found in examples from that period.
Identification
- Serial number
- 350
- 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: Case origin is only possibly Augsburg
- Research required: Attribution of the case to circa 1670 remains speculative