Jolly Fermée-Type Pendant Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1640
This pendant watch by Jolly, Paris, dates to circa 1640. It is a gilt brass savonette piece of the 'fermée-type', characterized by its curved-in edge and an eight-lobed case design featuring a barley corn pattern and central rosette.
Measuring 35 mm in diameter, the watch is driven by a 30 mm hinged, full-plate gilt brass movement featuring turned baluster pillars and a fusee with gut line. It utilizes a verge escapement with a circular iron foliot, lacking a balance spring. The silver ring dial displays champlevé radial Roman numerals and half-hour markers, surrounding a gilt brass plate engraved with a city scene and stylized foliage. The single hand is fashioned from blued steel in a 'tulip' shape.
The movement is signed on the back plate, and the watch retains a round pendant with a loose ring.
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
- Fermée-type pendant watch
- Maker
- Jolly
- Case Type
- Two-body Fermée-type
- Escapement
- Verge with iron foliot
- Provenance
- Antiquorum Geneva, 2004
- Hand Material
- Blued steel
- Place recorded
- France
- Case Decoration
- Barley corn pattern
- Dial Composition
- Silver ring with gilt brass plate
- Movement Diameter
- 30 mm
- Maker / attribution
- Jolly
Design
- Visible features
- • Case exterior features an eight-lobed design with barley corn engraving and central rosette • Dial plate engraved with a central city scene and floral border • Movement employs a circular iron foliot instead of a balance wheel • Single blued steel tulip-shaped hand indicates time
- Movement and Escapement
- The watch is powered by a 30 mm hinged, full-plate gilt brass movement. Its construction includes turned baluster pillars and is powered by a fusee and gut line mechanism. This movement is notably a pre-balance-spring design, utilizing a verge escapement paired with a circular iron foliot. Additional movement components include an irregular pinned cock and a pierced, engraved gilt brass click assembly, which manages the ratchet-wheel mainspring set-up. The back plate of the movement carries the signature of the maker, Jolly, identifying the origin of the piece. The movement is reported in good condition, though the auction house recommends an overhaul for ongoing functionality.
- Case and Dial Construction
- The watch is housed in a two-body gilt brass case of the 'fermée-type', distinguished by its curved-in edge. The exterior is divided into eight lobes, each decorated with a detailed barley corn engraving, centered on both the front cover and the back by a decorative rosette. The case design is rounded and includes a traditional pendant with a loose ring for suspension. The dial consists of a silver ring featuring champlevé radial Roman numerals and corresponding half-hour markers. This ring is mounted onto a central gilt brass plate that is engraved with a detailed city scene surrounded by stylized foliage.
- Provenance and Documentation
- This object has a recorded history of auction participation, having previously been offered by Antiquorum Geneva on April 24, 2004, where it was sold as lot 512. The watch is catalogued as a piece from the mid-17th century, specifically attributed to the maker Jolly in Paris around 1640. Regarding its condition, the auction house grades the watch as AAA Excellent, with the case condition noted as 3-39 (Good/Rubbed) and the movement and dial both rated as 3 (Good). The documentation notes that the case decoration provides a glimpse into early engraving techniques, despite the absence of the mechanical 'engine-turning' process that would be developed later.
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 significance of the 'fermée-type' construction remains descriptive rather than definitively established in this record
- Research required: Historical attribution to Jolly and the circa 1640 dating are as provided by the auction house