Jean-Jacques-Baptiste Verdier 'oignon' watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1740
This gold 'oignon' type pocket watch is attributed to Jean-Jacques-Baptiste Verdier, a Parisian maker who became a Master in 1737. Measuring 52 mm in diameter, the piece features a white enamel dial with radial Roman numerals and outer Arabic minute markers.
The case back is decorated with a detailed painted enamel scene depicting Apollo and the Sibyl, surrounded by a floral border; this enamel work is attributed to Jean V Mussard of Geneva. The movement is a hinged, frosted gilt full-plate calibre, equipped with square baluster pillars, a fusee and chain, and a verge escapement with a continental cock.
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 1740
- Type
- Oignon pocket watch
- Maker
- Jean-Jacques-Baptiste Verdier
- Dial details
- White enamel with Arabic five-minute markers
- Case diameter
- 52 mm
- Movement type
- Verge escapement with fusee and chain
- Place recorded
- France
- Case construction
- Two-body
- Enamel attribution
- Jean V Mussard
- Movement signature
- Signed on the movement
- Maker / attribution
- Jean-Jacques-Baptiste Verdier
Design
- Dial and Hands
- The watch features a white enamel dial designed for legibility within the constraints of the 18th-century oignon format. It features bold, black radial Roman numerals for the hour chapters, supplemented by half-hour marks. The outermost perimeter of the dial provides a detailed minute track featuring large, Arabic numerals placed at five-minute intervals. The display is completed by a set of gold Louis XV style hands. A winding aperture is positioned between the three and four o'clock markers, a functional necessity for the fusee-driven movement located behind the dial. The movement is signed by Jean-Jacques-Baptiste Verdier, a master watchmaker based in Paris.
- Visible features
- • Painted enamel scene on case back depicting figures of Apollo and the Sibyl • White enamel dial with radial Roman numerals and Arabic five-minute markers • Gold Louis XV style hands • Frosted gilt full-plate movement with square baluster pillars
- Movement and Mechanics
- The watch is powered by a 38 mm hinged, frosted gilt full-plate movement. The caliber construction employs traditional square baluster pillars to secure the plates. The balance assembly features a brass balance, a flat balance spring, and a continental-style balance cock.
- Case and Enamel Decoration
- The watch is housed in a two-body gold case that functions as the primary canvas for an elaborate decorative program. The reverse of the case is decorated with a painted enamel miniature representing the mythological encounter between Apollo and the Sibyl. The scene shows the Sibyl gesturing toward the heavens in refusal of Apollo’s advances, while Apollo holds a lyre. This central figure work is framed by an ornate border painted with polychrome floral and leaf motifs.
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: Attribution of the enamel work to Jean V Mussard is suggested rather than confirmed
- Research required: The exact date of manufacture is an approximation provided by the auction house